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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27167218">The Ballad of Ladon Creek</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gates_of_Ember/pseuds/Gates_of_Ember'>Gates_of_Ember</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Percy Jackson and the Olympians &amp; Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Western, Angst with a Happy Ending, Country &amp; Western, Doctor Will Solace, M/M, Nico casually mentions period typical mistreatment of children a couple times, Nico has religious trauma, Outlaw Nico di Angelo, Period Typical Attitudes, Period-Typical Homophobia, Period-Typical Racism, Period-Typical Transphobia, Trans Male Character, Trans Will Solace, Western, but you don’t see anything, tower of nero spoilers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-09 02:22:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>54,834</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27167218</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gates_of_Ember/pseuds/Gates_of_Ember</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Doctor Will Solace had lived in the secluded Oregon town of Ladon Creek for a year when a mysterious stranger arrived and turned his world upside down.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Nico di Angelo/Will Solace</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>230</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>337</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Solangelo Auctober 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>- This au is written for @solangeloweek's auctober event! Check out the prompts <a href="https://solangeloweek.tumblr.com/post/629978167715741696/auctober-2020-welcome-back-everyone-its">here</a> and other works in the collection <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/collections/SolangeloAuctober2020">here.</a><br/>- Later chapters will include a spoiler for the Tower of Nero.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In the years after the Civil War, a young woman by the name of Hazel Levesque discovered a massive supply of gold in the hills near Ladon Creek.  With the help of a few close friends, she established her own mine—something that she should not have been able to do, because Miss Levesque was not only female, but black, as well.  At the time, blacks had been prohibited from entering the state of Oregon at all; they certainly weren’t granted the right to own property.  It had taken some clever manipulation and sneaking around to have the land registered in her name.</p><p>The mine brought so many settlers in its first year of operation that one of Miss Levesque’s friends—Miss Annabeth Chase—designed a town named Ladon Creek after the nearby river.  It was the largest town for miles but not far from Grande Ronde and it sat largely undisturbed by the county marshal and outside lawmen.  That, and the fact that it had been founded by a black woman and her friends, was why Ladon Creek had attracted all manner of social outcasts and “undesirables” in the years since the mine’s opening—one of whom being Dr. William Solace.</p><p>Dr. Solace had kept to himself since arriving in Ladon Creek the year before.  While his mother, Mrs. Naomi Solace, was a pleasant and sociable woman, Will never sought out companionship.  Even when invited, he listened more than he spoke and hardly ever stayed long.</p><p>Still, Will remained well-liked in Ladon Creek.  Something about him made people feel safe and comfortable.  He was of average height and his posture was unthreatening.  His face was handsome and smooth, his voice sounded pleasantly melodic, and his demeanor was gentle and calming.  His hands felt soft like he’d never worked a day in his life, yet he labored over his patients so arduously that you might have thought they were his own kin.  Every touch was careful and every word was warm.</p><p>On one bright afternoon at the end of summer, a stranger rode into Ladon Creek slouched on the back of a bay-coated horse.  He was clothed almost entirely in black and his face was hidden in shadow under the brim of his dark hat.  When he stopped a couple on the street and asked where he could find the doctor, they pointed him in the direction of Will’s clinic.</p><p>Will looked up when he heard the rustling outside his office and saw the black-clad stranger tying up his horse outside the windows.  He noted a limp to the man’s gait and clicked his tongue.  Wounded travelers came into his office too often for Will’s liking—out west, people were far too careless and the terrain was far too dangerous.</p><p>Will folded his hands on the desk in front of him as the man opened the door and walked inside.  “You’re the doctor?” asked the stranger.</p><p>“Yes,” said Will.  “How may I help you?”</p><p>The man took off his hat, revealing a head of unkempt black hair and a pair of bottomless dark eyes that reminded Will of staring into a well.  There was a sheen of sweat on his brow and dark circles under his eyes, and Will almost feared the man might pass out right in the doorway of his clinic.  But despite his obvious exhaustion, he was handsome in a rough kind of way—the dangerous sort of handsome that was best admired from afar.</p><p>“I’m looking to buy some bandages,” the man said.</p><p>Will glanced down at the leg the man had been favoring.  “You have a name, stranger?” he asked.</p><p>“Di Angelo—Nico di Angelo,” the man replied.</p><p>“Well, then, Mr. di Angelo,” Will said, rising from his desk.  “If you let me examine that leg, the bandages are free.”</p><p>To Will’s surprise, the man hesitated before nodding and taking off his duster, revealing the brown-stained bandage wrapped around his left thigh.</p><p>“Sit down,” Will said, gesturing to the exam table hidden from the view of the windows by a privacy curtain.  He took Nico’s coat and hat and hung them by the door before joining him.  Nico had already started unwrapping his bandages.  The wound was messy, caked with dried blood and slowly oozing a cloudy yellow fluid.  Will could tell it was at least a day or two old and that an infection was setting in.</p><p>“You must have gotten in quite a fight,” Will said, standing to fetch supplies to clean the wound.  “Run into some trouble?”</p><p>Nico didn’t answer.  Will hadn’t expected him to.</p><p>“I already got the bullet out and cleaned it,” Nico said.</p><p>“Good,” Will replied.  “You probably held the infection off long enough to make it here, but you’re lucky I asked to see it—otherwise, you might’ve lost your leg.”</p><p>Will poured alcohol on a cleaning cloth and Nico tensed when it touched his wound, but held still and didn’t make a sound until Will had finished and applied a healing ointment.  “You’ll need to stay in town a few days so I can keep an eye on your progress and care for your wound properly,” Will said.  “Mrs. Jackson owns an inn a little ways down the road where you can rent a room.  She’ll make sure you eat well and her son will take good care of your horse.”  </p><p>Nico was quiet and for a moment, Will worried that he’d argue.  But then he sighed and said, “I suppose there’s no helping it.  Where can I find her?”</p><p>Will tried not to feel insulted by Nico’s obvious disappointment.  “Only a few buildings down the road—I’ll take you there,” he said as he finished changing Nico’s bandages.  “Wait here a moment.”</p><p>Will went into the back room of the clinic and retrieved a wooden crutch from his supplies, then returned and offered it to Nico.  “You’ll need to use this to walk for a while,” he said.  “Try to keep your weight off that leg as much as you can.”</p><p>Nico looked at Will with tired incredulity, like he couldn’t believe Will was forcing him to do all this, but he got to his feet and tested the crutch without complaining.  Will handed Nico his hat and coat and brought him outside to where his mare was waiting.  Will offered to lead her while Nico got used to his crutch, and Nico shrugged like he didn’t care one way or the other.</p><p>The Jacksons’ inn was a two-story building just a short walk away with blue painted siding and windows of natural pine.  If he walked by at the wrong time, Will would smell a wonderful meal being prepared, which always left him hungry and jealous.  He had been invited to join them for supper a handful of times, and each time he swore it was the best meal he’d ever had.</p><p>Mrs. Sally Jackson sat on a rocking chair on the front porch as Will and Nico approached, humming softly and holding her sleeping six-month-old baby against her chest.  She looked tired, with a few brown and gray hairs out of place, but relaxed and happy.</p><p>“Afternoon, Mrs. Jackson,” called Will.</p><p>“Dr. Solace!” Mrs. Jackson said.  “To what do I owe the pleasure?”</p><p>“I have a patient in need of a room,” Will answered, nodding to Nico.  “This is Mr. di Angelo.  He’ll be staying here until his leg heals.”</p><p>“Poor thing,” Mrs. Jackson tutted as she rose from her chair, careful to not wake the baby.  “Take a seat while I bring your horse to the stable out back, Mr. di Angelo.  Doctor, I’m sorry to trouble you, but would you mind holding Estelle?  Paul’s at the schoolhouse, Percy’s on the ranch, and poor Estelle has barely napped all day.”</p><p>“No trouble at all, Mrs. Jackson,” Will answered.  Estelle stirred when Will took her, but she quickly fell asleep again in his arms.</p><p>“Thank you, Doctor,” Sally said before leading the horse around to the back of the building.  </p><p>When Will glanced back at Nico, half expecting to find him passed out in the rocking chair, he was surprised to instead see Nico watching him with a curious, unnerving expression that made Will’s hair stand on end.  He felt like he was being picked apart, dissected and examined like a dead animal.  Will cleared his throat, but Nico kept staring—perhaps not even realizing what he was doing or not understanding that Will was trying to get him to stop.</p><p>“Your horse is lovely,” Will said, attempting to distract him instead.  “What’s her name?” </p><p>Nico finally blinked and he looked thoughtful for a moment, like he’d never considered giving her a name.  Then he said, “Cavala.”</p><p>“Cavala,” Will repeated, rubbing soft circles into Estelle’s back.  “A beautiful name for a beautiful horse.”</p><p>Nico smiled, but it seemed more like he was enjoying a private joke than appreciating Will’s compliment.  Still, the smile made Will’s heart rate pick up for a second and he almost worried the hammering would wake the baby sleeping against his chest.  He glanced away and was glad to see Mrs. Jackson returning.</p><p>“Thank you for holding her,” she said when Will passed Estelle back.</p><p>“You’re very welcome,” Will said.  “Don’t let her nap too much longer or she won’t want to sleep tonight.”</p><p>“I know, Doctor—this isn’t my first baby, it’s just been a while since my last,” said Mrs. Jackson.  “I’ll set you up in a room on the ground floor so that you don’t have to bother with the stairs, Mr. di Angelo.  My husband and my son should be home soon and Percy will look after your horse while Paul helps me with supper.  Are you hungry?”</p><p>Nico looked at her blankly for a second before nodding, like it took a moment for his tired brain to comprehend what she was asking.  “Yes, ma’am,” he said.</p><p>“I ought to head back to the clinic,” Will said, before the idea of a Jackson supper made him start to drool.  “Come by tomorrow morning so I can check on your leg, Mr. di Angelo.”</p><p>Nico turned back to Will, once again fixing him with that unnerving stare, and slowly nodded.</p><p>When Will walked back to his clinic, he could still feel the stare on his back.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mr. di Angelo did not come to the clinic the next morning, so Will occupied his time waiting in the back room where he kept his pharmacy and worked on reorganizing his supplies.  When Nico still hadn’t shown up by noon, Will assumed that he’d left town despite his insistence.  But not long after, Sally Jackson appeared in the clinic’s front door and said, “Doctor!  Mr. di Angelo is stuck in bed with a horrible fever.”</p><p>Will had to mentally chide himself for the relief that washed over him.  He got to his feet and put on his coat, then grabbed his medical bag and followed Sally into the street.</p><p>“He didn’t come down for breakfast this morning, but I thought he might just be sleeping late,” Sally said, touching the mezuzah by the door as she entered the inn.  Will copied the movement.  “When I went in to check on him, he was still in bed, pale-faced and sweating.”</p><p>“I should have guessed this would happen,” Will said.  “Thank you for fetching me, Mrs. Jackson.”</p><p>Mrs. Jackson knocked on Nico’s door before cracking it open and telling Nico she’d brought the doctor, then she stepped back and gestures for Will to enter.  Nico’s room, like all rooms at the Jacksons’ inn, was not too big or too small, paneled with warm wood on the walls, floor, and ceiling.  It was furnished with a table and two chairs, a dresser, and a bed with a red-and-blue quilted cover.  Green curtains were drawn shut over the street-facing window and the room was lit by the faint glow of the sun and a lamp beside the bed.  Nico was lying on his back but his head had turned to face the door, his eyes half open and his dry lips parted.</p><p>“Is there anything I can do, Doctor?” Sally asked as Will passed her to enter the room.</p><p>“Would you mind bringing some water and cloths?” he asked.</p><p>“No trouble at all,” Sally answered, closing the door behind her.</p><p>“Mr. di Angelo,” Will said softly.  Nico’s dark eyes locked onto Will’s for a second before closing, but the recognition Will saw in them was enough to assure him that Nico was fully awake.  “Your wound is infected,” Will said as he pulled one of the chairs to Nico’s beside.  “It’s given you a fever.  I’m going to try to bring down your temperature.”  He opened his bag and rolled out his medical supplies, selecting a thermometer from his toolkit.  “Open your mouth and hold this under your tongue,” he instructed, and Nico obeyed.  He waited a moment before taking the thermometer out to read it, then wrapped it in a cloth and put it away to clean later at his clinic.  “Your temperature isn’t too high yet, but I suspect it’ll be worse tomorrow,” he said.</p><p>After a knock on the door, Mrs. Jackson peeked inside again.  “I have your water and cloths, Doctor.”</p><p>“Thank you, Mrs. Jackson,” said Will, getting up to take the bucket and cloths from her.</p><p>“Don’t hesitate to call for me if you need anything else,” Sally said before closing the door to give them privacy.</p><p>Will set the bucket down by Nico’s bed and wet one of the cloths in the water.  When he pressed it against Nico’s forehead, a soft puff of air escaped the man’s lips.</p><p>“Better?” Will asked, and Nico hummed in lieu of answering.  “Good,” said Will.  “May I look at your leg?  I need to examine your wound.”</p><p>Nico grunted and rolled onto his side, offering Will access to his wounded leg.  Will pulled down his bedsheets and lifted the edge of Nico’s dark shirt to his hip before carefully unwrapping his yellow-stained bandages.  The wound hadn’t changed much since the day before; it was still red, swollen, and steadily oozing fluid.</p><p>“I’m going to clean it and apply an ointment to help you heal,” Will said.  “This will sting.”  He took the cleaning alcohol from his bag and poured some onto another cloth before gingerly holding it against the wound.  Nico hissed and his face pinched, but he held still and let Will finish.  When he was done, Will carefully dried the wound before taking out a jar of healing ointment and spreading it across the wound with his fingers.  Nico made another soft sound, this one more content than the last.  “Feels better, doesn’t it?” Will asked.</p><p>Nico hummed again.</p><p>“Something I learned from my father,” said Will.  “He was a Union doctor—had plenty of experience treating wounds like this.”  He capped the ointment again and traded the jar for fresh bandages from his bag.  Carefully bending Nico’s leg at the knee to reach underneath it, Will wrapped the wound again.  “Are you thirsty?” Will asked, covering Nico’s legs with the blankets again.</p><p>Nico licked his lips, rolled onto his back, and nodded, so Will brought a ladle of water to his lips.  Nico drank deeply, water falling out of the sides of his mouth and wetting his pillow.  “More,” he said when it was empty, so Will obliged.  After Nico finished, Will touched his cheek with the back of his hand to feel his temperature, and to his surprise, Nico leaned into his touch.  Blushing, Will quickly drew his hand back. </p><p>“I’ll ask Mrs. Jackson to make you a broth and some tea,” Will said as he packed his supplies.</p><p>“You’re leaving?” Nico asked—the first real words he’d spoken to Will that day.  When Will looked at him, expecting to see relief in his eyes, he was surprised to see something else—perhaps worry or regret.</p><p>“I’ll be back later this afternoon,” Will promised.  “If you need me, ask Mrs. Jackson to fetch me again.”</p><p>Nico looked at Will with bleary, tired eyes for a moment longer, then he grunted and turned his face away.</p><p>“Your face has more color to it now than it did when I first walked in,” Will remarked, instinctively touching Nico’s cheek to feel his temperature again.  “That’s good.  The ointment helped the pain, didn't it?”</p><p>That time, Nico was the one who jerked away.  He grunted again.</p><p>Will drew his hand back.  “I’m glad you didn’t leave town yesterday,” he said.  “Don’t hesitate to call for me.”</p><p> </p><p>When Will came back that evening, Nico was sleeping and barely woke up when Will changed his cloths and checked his bandages.  In the morning, however, he was far worse.</p><p>“Lay still for me, Mr. di Angelo,” Will said, holding the thermometer under Nico’s tongue.  “Now close your mouth.”</p><p>Will wasn’t sure if Nico was really listening to him, but he did close his mouth and let Will take his temperature.  “Your fever is worse today,” Will noted.  “Let’s try to cool you down.”</p><p>He unbuttoned the front of Nico’s damp shirt and wiped the sweat from his chest with a cold wet cloth.  Nico shivered.</p><p>“Too cold?” Will asked.</p><p>Nico didn’t answer; he just blinked at Will with hazy black eyes.</p><p>“You’ll feel better soon,” Will promised.  “We just have to keep treating your wound and wait for the fever to break.  It will only be a few days now.”</p><p>Nico wet his lips, then he asked, “Why are you doing this?”</p><p>“I’m trying to keep you cool,” Will replied.</p><p>“No, I mean why are you here?” Nico insisted.  “I can take care of myself.”</p><p>Will snorted.  “Not right now, you can’t.  I’m a doctor, Mr. di Angelo.  This is my job.  Besides, isn’t it nice to be taken care of every now and then?”</p><p> </p><p>On the third day, it was worse.  Will stayed with him longer and visited more frequently.  Nico shivered and sweat at the same time, seeming to desire both warmth and coolness but unsatisfied by either.  Will covered Nico with his quilt when he wasn’t tending to his wound and changed the cloth on his forehead often to keep it cool.  He tried to spoon-feed him broth every so often, but Nico sometimes refused unless Will insisted.</p><p>Once that afternoon, when Will was about to go, Nico suddenly gripped Will’s wrist with frail, weak fingers and asked, “Why are you leaving?”  And Will imagined so much heartbreak in his voice that he stayed until Nico fell asleep. </p><p>In the evening while Will was changing his cloth, Nico stared at him with the same unnerving intensity that he had on the day they first met but remained silent until suddenly asking, “Are you an angel?”</p><p>Will blushed hard at the question and had to remind himself that Nico was delirious with fever and not flirting.  “I’m your doctor,” Will replied.</p><p>Nico fell back asleep before Will left, and Will took comfort in the fact that Nico probably wouldn’t remember asking the question in the morning.  Even if he did, he’d probably be more embarrassed by it than Will.</p><p> </p><p>On the fourth day, Nico’s fever broke.  He was sleeping every time Will went to see him, but Will couldn’t help wondering if he was acting.  He swore he could feel Nico’s eyes on him whenever he looked away or turned his back.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Forgot to post the past two days, so I'm double posting today.</p>
<p>Thank you to everyone who left comments after reading that I've been feeling a little unmotivated lately--you really help me out!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Nico woke up in the late morning of the fifth day of his stay in Ladon Creek finally feeling well-rested.  His leg still throbbed with pain, but it was far better than it had been the past few days and he was ready to move on.  He’d remained too long as it was—soon, news would spread and he’d eventually be tracked to Ladon Creek.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He dressed and left his room, intending to settle his bill with Mrs. Jackson, but before he could speak, she forced him to sit down in the front dining room and told him that she’d have his breakfast ready in a moment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m so glad to see you on your feet again, Mr. di Angelo,” Mrs. Jackson said as she slid a plate of eggs in front of Nico.  “You’ll have to join us for dinner tonight—poor thing, eating nothing but broth these past few days.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I appreciate the invitation, but I ought to be moving on,” Nico said.  “I’ve troubled you so much already.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mrs. Jackson eyed the bandage wrapped around Nico’s thigh.  “In this state?  You should stay at least a few more nights—let that leg heal some more.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll be alright, Mrs. Jackson.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mrs. Jackson sighed and looked out the front window to the street outside, balancing baby Estelle on her hip while she poured Nico’s coffee.  Suddenly, she lit up and set down the pot.  “Hold the baby for a moment, won’t you, dear?” she said.  Without waiting for an answer, she sat Estelle down on Nico’s lap, wiped her hands on her apron, and hurried to the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico looked at the baby with a mix of shock and horror.  He wasn’t the sort of person that people trusted to handle their babies.  In fact, he couldn’t recall ever holding one at all.  Estelle felt squishy and fragile at the same time and Nico worried that he’d break her if Mrs. Jackson didn’t come back soon.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank goodness you’re here, Doctor,” Mrs. Jackson said from the doorway.  “Can you talk some sense into this man?  He insists that he’s leaving.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico groaned as Will stepped inside the inn dressed in shades of cream and tan, carrying his medicine bag, and looking as radiant as ever.  He could recognize the tell-tale signs of attraction blossoming inside himself and he didn’t like it.  Ordinarily, Nico might have played his cards to test whether Will might be interested in other men, but he’d already stayed in Ladon Creek too long.  If he hadn’t suddenly fallen ill, perhaps he could have spent the past few days flirting with the doctor.  Now, however, it was only a matter of time before news of the shootout spread.  Nico had to get out of town and lie low for a while; amorous trysts would have to wait.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will looked Nico over, his eyes settling on the baby sitting in Nico’s lap, and a strange look came over his face—some kind of smile, warm and calm but also completely delighted.  Nico couldn’t help feeling that he was being made fun of. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not mine,” Nico said in a panic.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The doctor’s eyes lit up in amusement.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>“She,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> he corrected.  “And I know she’s not yours.  I delivered her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh,” Nico said.  “Right.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mrs. Jackson ushered Will towards the table saying, “Take a seat, Doctor, make yourself comfortable.  I’ll fix your breakfast right away.  Unless you’ve already eaten?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will laughed.  “Mrs. Jackson, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>always</span>
  </em>
  <span> come here hungry.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Smart man,” she said.  “Please try to talk some sense into Mr. di Angelo.  He shouldn’t be traveling in his state.  And Mr. di Angelo, do you mind holding the baby a bit longer for me?  Thank you, dear.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She disappeared into the kitchen before Nico could say that yes, he </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> mind, and could Mrs. Jackson </span>
  <em>
    <span>please</span>
  </em>
  <span> take the baby back before something horrible happened?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will cocked his head to the side, watching Nico hold the baby like it was a curious experiment.  </span>
  <span>“Would you like me to take her?” he asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will set his bag down on the floor next to the table and lifted the baby from Nico’s lap.  “Sweet girl,” he murmured softly.  He tapped her nose.  “You’re growing so well.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The baby gave him a gummy smile and giggled delightedly.  Watching them, Nico was almost glad he didn’t have the time to try to pursue the doctor.  He was far too sweet and good-natured for Nico—the sort of person who deserved a long, happy relationship, not a short fling.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s this I hear about you leaving?” Will asked as he pulled out the chair across the table from Nico.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve stayed long enough,” Nico said.  “Thank you for looking after me, Doctor.  I’ll be at your clinic to settle my bill later today.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will raised an eyebrow, likely wondering where Nico’s income came from.  The doctor was too polite to ask, but Nico knew what people thought—he probably stole cattle, hijacked trains, or robbed banks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of course, they’d be right about that last one.  He’d broken into a bank with Reyna and Thalia just last week—or was it two weeks ago?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You were just delirious with fever,” Will said.  “You’re in no state to travel on your own.  If your infection gets worse again, it could take a week to reach another doctor.  You are staying another few days—no arguments.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But I—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mrs. Jackson would be so hurt if you left,” Will continued.  “Do you really want to disappoint her?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico’s mouth shut.  Will clearly understood the effect Mrs. Jackson had on people.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just a few more nights,” Nico relented.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will sat back in his chair and smiled.  “He’ll stay, Mrs. Jackson,” he called.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, I’m so glad,” Mrs. Jackson said as she emerged from the kitchen carrying a plate of eggs.  “Paul and I will make a special supper for you this evening, Mr. di Angelo.  Doctor, you and Mrs. Solace ought to join us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico frowned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Mrs</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Solace?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He tried not to feel disappointed.  It didn’t matter whether the doctor was married or not.  He hadn’t intended to chase after Will, anyway.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’d never pass up a chance for a Jackson supper,” said Will.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico sighed and picked up his crutch before getting to his feet.  “I should take the horse for a ride,” he said.  “She’s been cooped up in the stables for days.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mrs. Jackson and the doctor looked at Nico in surprise.  “By yourself?” Mrs. Jackson asked.  “That can’t be safe, Mr. di Angelo.  I’ll have Percy take her when he gets back this evening.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll go myself,” Nico insisted.  “I could use the fresh air.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And, as much as he appreciated Mrs. Jackson, he could use some time alone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mrs. Jackson looked like she was going to protest, but Will touched her arm and said, “I’ll go with him and make sure he’s safe.  Mind if I borrow a horse?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico held back a sigh.  He </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> want time alone, but he supposed it would be alright if Will accompanied him.  Even if he wasn’t planning to pursue the doctor, at least the view would be nice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After he’d finished eating, Will went with Nico to the stables behind the inn and brought out two horses—one of them a pinto, and the other Nico’s dun.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico couldn’t help feeling a bit disappointed at the sight of the dun.  He missed his black mare, but he’d had to leave her in Reyna’s care for a while.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cavala, right?” Will asked, handing Nico the dun’s reins.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico snorted.  He’d forgotten he’d told Will that was the horse’s name.  Honestly, Nico didn’t know her name.  He hadn’t had the opportunity to find out before taking her and he hadn’t been creative enough to make one up when Will asked, so he’d just called her cavala—</span>
  <em>
    <span>horse</span>
  </em>
  <span> in his native language.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right, Cavala,” Nico said.  He set his crutch against the stable wall and approached the horse, grunting in pain when he tried to mount her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Need help?” the doctor asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” Nico muttered, both feet sliding back to the ground.  How had he done this last time?  He hadn’t had this much trouble mounting before.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a few moments of struggling, Nico finally scrambled on the horse’s back, looking triumphantly down at the doctor before seeing the amusement on Will’s face and realizing exactly how stupid he’d looked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you thought you were ready to leave this morning,” Will said with a shake of his head before easily mounting his pinto.  “Come on, follow me.  We’ll ride along the river for a while.”  Will jerked his head and rode out of the stables without looking back like he expected Nico to follow behind him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico did so gladly.  As he’d predicted, it was a nice view.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As they rode out into the street, Nico’s ears caught the sound of distant arguing that became clearer as they approached. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How many times do I have to tell you that I’m not interested in selling?” Nico heard a woman’s voice say.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But wouldn’t it be nice not to have the stress of running an entire mine?” said a man.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You could use the extra time and money to plan your wedding,” said another.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m quite happy with the time and money I already have, thank you very much,” replied the woman. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico turned towards the road where he heard the voices, ignoring when Will called after him, and noticed two men on the street cornering  a woman—a </span>
  <em>
    <span>black </span>
  </em>
  <span>woman.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is there a problem here?” Nico asked as he approached, glancing between the woman and the two men she’d been talking to.  The men were white and well-dressed, obviously wealthy, and they looked similar, but not identical—brothers, probably.  As Nico watched, the two men stepped between Nico and the woman.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” said one of the men.  “Is there?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico gripped his reins tightly.  The brothers both had revolvers on their hips, and while Nico had one, too, he wouldn’t risk fighting off both of them at once while the woman’s safety was at stake.  He did have the advantage of being on a horse, however, and if he needed to, he could use the speed to get the woman away safely.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s the matter, stranger?” asked the woman.  “Haven’t you ever seen a black woman before?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not often,” Nico admitted, keeping his eyes locked on the brothers.  “Not in Oregon.”  Until recently, blacks hadn’t been allowed to enter the territory at all, and the state was still mainly white.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sound of hooves on the dirt behind Nico caught his attention, and he turned to see the doctor maneuvering his horse between Nico and the three people standing in the road in front of him.  His expression was uncharacteristically dark.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mr. di Angelo,” the doctor slowly began, “In Ladon Creek, things work a bit differently than you might be used to.  We protect our own here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico looked between Will and the woman, reassessing the hostile, dark look in Will’s eyes.  His stance was protective, not malicious.  Nico was an outsider and Will didn’t know what his intentions were.  He was trying to </span>
  <em>
    <span>protect </span>
  </em>
  <span>the woman from Nico—all three of the men were.  On second glance, Nico noticed that the woman looked just as well-dressed as the two brothers, perhaps even more so.  She wasn’t in danger at all; in fact, she probably held more power than all four of the men combined.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico relaxed his grip on his reins and fixed his posture to seem less aggressive.  “I mean no harm to this lady,” he said.  “I apologize for making you feel threatened, ma’am.  I misunderstood the situation.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will’s frown deepened like he was trying to determine whether or not he could trust Nico, but the woman put her hand on his knee to get his attention.  “I’m fine, Doctor,” she said.  “I don’t need you to protect me right now.”  She stepped around Will’s horse and approached Nico.  “What’s your name, stranger?” she asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nico di Angelo,” he answered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hazel Levesque,” said the woman, holding her hand out in greeting.  Nico shook it.  “I own the mine in the hills near here,” Hazel continued.  “You seem like an alright man.  If you’re looking for a job, come see me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you, ma’am, but I’m only passing through,” said Nico.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pity,” said Hazel.  “Now, Mr. and Mr. Stoll, if we’ve finished discussing business for today, I have other matters to attend to.  Gentlemen.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hazel nodded to each of them before setting off down the road the way Nico had come.  The brothers gave Nico one last suspicious look before they left, too.  Nico ignored them in favor of watching after Miss Levesque, wondering how he’d never heard of Ladon Creek before.  Did the Hunters know about it?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Hazel disappeared around the corner, Nico looked back to find Will watching him skeptically.  “I’m not going to hurt her, Doctor,” Nico said.  “I immigrated to New York from Venice when I was a child.  Back east, people don’t like Italians much.  While I can’t imagine what it’s like to be her, I <em>do</em> know what it’s like to see signs on storefronts saying, ‘we don’t serve Italians.’  I know what it’s like to see people like me being accused of crimes they didn’t commit or being chased by police for no reason other than the fact that they’re immigrants.  That isn’t something I wish on anyone else.  I’m lucky that I’m white and I can pass as American-born because I’ve lost my accent over time.  Miss Levesque doesn’t have that luxury.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will watched him silently for another second, then he nodded.  “I believe you,” he said.  “But know that if you </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> hurt her, you’ll find yourself in a world of trouble.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will held his eyes for a moment longer before turning away.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico tapped his horse with his heels to follow after him, ignoring the subtle hum of attraction that continued to purr in his chest.  He </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely</span>
  </em>
  <span> didn’t have time to pursue the doctor romantically.  He couldn’t risk anyone tracking him to Ladon Creek.  If people came looking for him and found Hazel instead....</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico had to get out of town as soon as possible.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The reason I decided to set this fic in the Oregon gold rush instead of the California gold rush was that I didn't want to put the story in the south.  The reason I set the fic after the Civil War was so that there wouldn't be any slavery.  I thought, "the post-Civil War north has to be <i>slightly</i> less racist, right?"  Turns out that "slightly less racist" is still pretty horrific.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>After the incident on the street, the doctor spent most of the ride in silence.  Every time Nico glanced at him, he looked lost in thought.  Nico didn’t blame him—if Will and the rest of Ladon Creek were trying to keep Miss Levesque safe, then he must be worried.  The Hunters were just as cautious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There weren’t many men like Will in the world.  Pity Nico didn’t have the time to get to know him better.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Also, Will was married.  Nico wasn’t in the business of seducing married men.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they returned to the inn, Will retrieved his medical bag from where he’d left it by the dining table and tended to Nico’s wound in his room.  He left without saying much other than advising Nico to keep weight off his leg and to spend the day relaxing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nico didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>relax. </span>
  </em>
  <span> It wasn’t in his nature.  He instead spent the day lying in bed quietly panicking about what would happen if the marshal’s office tracked him to Ladon Creek.  Oregon’s black exclusion laws may no longer be in effect, but it was still a dangerous place.  It hadn’t been long ago that the state considered making mandatory county-wide censuses in order to weed black people out.  If Miss Levesque was safe in Ladon Creek, Nico didn’t want to introduce outsiders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Especially not the kind of outsiders that were chasing him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nico should leave right away, but the doctor was right—Nico wouldn’t last on his own.  The infection in his wound would come back and without a doctor to tend to it, he wouldn't be able to </span>
  <em>
    <span>move, </span>
  </em>
  <span>let alone lead the authorities on a chase away from Ladon Creek.  The best option was to wait until he was well again and hope that he recovered quickly enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually, the exhaustion of recovery finally caught up with him and Nico did fall asleep.  He slept through lunch and when he woke up, he could smell something cooking in the kitchen.  Mrs.  Jackson knocked on the door shortly after and poked her head in to tell him supper would be ready soon and he ought to wash up and change before Dr. and Mrs. Solace arrived.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Change?” Nico repeated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” said Mrs. Jackson.  “You’re not thinking of sitting at the dinner table in your riding clothes, are you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had been a long time since Nico had had to worry about something as mundane as changing before dinner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t bring any other clothes,” Nico explained.  The money he’d stolen from the bank and the clothes on his back were </span>
  <span>all </span>
  <span>he had.  He’d left the rest of his belongings with the Hunters but hadn’t been able to meet up with them since the robbery.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that won’t do at all,” said Mrs. Jackson.  “Percy just got home—I’ll have him find something for you from his wardrobe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So Percy loaned Nico a blue shirt and brown trousers.  Nico stared at himself in Percy’s glass a moment too long.  It had been a long time since he’d seen himself in any color besides black.  He didn’t look </span>
  <em>
    <span>bad, </span>
  </em>
  <span>exactly, but it did look odd.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When do the doctor and his wife get here?” Nico asked Percy when he emerged from his room after changing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wife?” Percy repeated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your mother invited Mrs. Solace to join, too,” Nico explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy frowned for a second, then his expression cleared and he said, “Mrs. Solace isn’t the Doctor’s wife—she’s his mother.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nico accidentally ran into the edge of a table, shouting as a stabbing pain flared in his wounded leg.  Paul and Sally came running out of the kitchen to worry over him, and Nico was glad for the distraction his blunder had caused because his mind had declared war on itself.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The doctor is unmarried.  The doctor is available.  I can pursue the doctor.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>No, I can’t pursue the doctor.  It doesn’t matter that he’s not married.  I don’t have time.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But I could.  Just for a few days.  Just a bit of flirting.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Not right now.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Yes, right now.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The Jacksons forced Nico to take a seat and the Solaces arrived moments after everything had finally settled down.  Mrs. Solace looked so much like her son that Nico would have known they were related even if Percy hadn’t told him.  Both were blond and blue-eyed, were of a similar height, and had the same good-looking facial features.  Will had changed from the tan he’d been wearing earlier into a set of grey clothes that made his eyes sparkle, which was far too much for Nico’s already weakened self-control.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re still waiting for Annabeth and there are a few minutes before the bread is ready,” said Mrs. Jackson.  “Doctor, would you mind taking Nico to his room and looking at his leg?  He hit it against the table earlier.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s alright, Mrs. Jackson,” Nico said.  “I feel fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Actually, his leg was still throbbing, but it wasn’t a good idea to be alone with the doctor right then.  His mind was still reeling with the news that Will was single.  Nico was bound to make a fool of himself and he’d at least prefer to have his trousers </span>
  <em>
    <span>on </span>
  </em>
  <span>when it happened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Will and Mrs. Jackson insisted, and neither of them was easy to refuse.  It was a good thing, too, because when Nico let Will look under the bandages, the wound had opened up and started bleeding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, when Mrs. Jackson mentioned Mrs. Solace, I thought she was your wife,” Nico blurted out as Will was rewrapping his leg.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>No!  Bad Nico.  It’s none of your business.  Leave the man alone and put your trousers back on.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, no,” Will replied with a laugh.  “I’m a bachelor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s surprising,” Nico said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why’s that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nico shrugged.  “I thought you’d have been snatched up by now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will flushed and Nico promptly scolded himself.  He wasn’t supposed to be flirting with his doctor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you’re still young,” he added in an attempt to recover.  “How old are you—twenty-two, twenty-three...?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Twenty-seven,” Will corrected.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A year older than Nico.  Interesting—men usually married by that age.  Why hadn’t Will?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re older than you look,” Nico said instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hear that a lot,” said Will.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So why aren’t you married?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The question had been asked before Nico could gain control of his tongue.  He needed to stop interrogating the man.  Will’s relationships were none of his concern.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I prefer being a bachelor, actually,” Will said.  He paused, then cleared his throat.  “It leaves me plenty of time to read my poetry collection.  I am so fond of Whitman.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nico blinked.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>Whitman?</span>
  </em>
  <span>  He couldn’t mean...?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The doctor’s eyes were wide and his cheeks were pink, his knuckles white from how tightly he was clenching his fists.  He looked terrified.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mentioning Whitman’s name or poetry was a sort of code between men like Nico—men who enjoyed the company of other men.  While he’d never actually read the poetry himself, Nico was familiar enough with some of Whitman’s more well-known verses.  He’d used them on other men before, and other men had used them on him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nico wasn’t supposed to flirt with Will.  He wasn’t supposed to have a romantic tryst right now.  He shouldn’t—</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whitman is my favorite,” Nico said anyway, an appropriate response to convey his own preferences.  “And while I’d love to discuss poetry with you more, I should remind you—I’m leaving town as soon as I’m able to walk on my own.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” said Will.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nico couldn’t tell what the doctor was thinking from his expression.  He still looked scared—but of what?  Of rejection?  Did he really think Nico would refuse him?  True, Nico had originally decided not to pursue the doctor, but if the doctor was pursuing </span>
  <em>
    <span>him...</span>
  </em>
  <span>well, that changed things.  Will knew that it couldn’t last long.  He knew what he was signing up for.  He had weighed the outcomes and he had decided that the fun would be worth the trouble.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Take me out for a drink tomorrow, Doctor,” Nico said.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy Halloween!  Here’s your treat--three chapters today!<br/>I wanted to have this fic finished by the end of the month, but that didn’t work out.  I’ll have it all up by the end of November, though!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Will couldn’t help staring at Nico over the rim of his whiskey glass.  He was once again wearing clothes that he’d borrowed from Percy—Nico had explained that Mrs. Jackson insisted on repairing the hole in the leg of his trousers.  He had on his usual black boots, but his borrowed trousers were the color of soft caramel and his shirt was white.  It looked good, but didn’t quite suit him; Nico seemed more at home in black.  Mrs. Jackson had also cut Nico’s dark hair that morning, which had Nico looking more well-groomed.  Will had liked the rough, overgrown look that Nico had been sporting before, but this was nice, too.  He looked less like a mysterious, rugged hero and more like a normal person—normal in a way that made him seem obtainable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will blushed.  That was a dangerous train of thought.  He hadn’t tried courting anyone in years—not since he was much younger and still living in New York.  It hadn’t ended well, but it </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> taught him some valuable lessons: he couldn’t trust just anyone and it was unlikely that he’d ever have a long-term relationship.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was the only reason Will had risked pursuing Nico at all: it was just a bit of fun.  As long as it didn’t last too long or go too far, there wasn’t a risk.  With someone like Nico, it was safe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something catch your eye, Doctor?” Nico whispered, his voice barely audible over the saloon’s piano and the hum of conversation and laughter in the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will flushed harder.  “You look nice,” he mumbled, idly running his finger over the rim of his glass.  He wasn’t quite sure what he was supposed to say on an outing like this.  He didn’t have much romantic experience at all and being in public with another man made it even more complicated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So do you,” said Nico.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will swallowed and glanced towards the back of the room where Austin was playing the piano.  He had specifically chosen to go to a saloon where his mother </span>
  <em>
    <span>didn’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>play.  As much as he loved her, Will wasn’t keen on the idea of his mother watching his attempts to woo someone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not that he was accomplishing much anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nico took a final sip before pushing his empty glass across the table towards Will.  “How about we have another drink, then we continue our conversation somewhere a bit more private?” he said, his voice still soft and smooth like a purr.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will swallowed.  “I—um—yes, alright.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nico chuckled when Will got up, then looked away to watch Austin on the piano—which was fortunate, because Will nearly tripped over his own feet on his way to the bar.  Just before he could ask Dakota for two more whiskeys, someone put a hand on his shoulder to get his attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Evening, Doctor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will jumped and turned to see Sheriff Clarisse La Rue standing next to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sheriff,” he greeted with a nod.  “How may I help you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was sent looking for you,” Clarisse said.  “Didn’t expect to find you here, though.  The mayor has called an emergency town hall meeting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now?” Will asked, looking back across the saloon to the table where Nico was waiting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now,” Clarisse confirmed.  “We think you ought to be there.  It concerns your patient.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His patient?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will looked at Nico again.  It wasn’t uncommon for sudden town hall meetings to be called when someone in the town was worried that a visitor was a threat in Ladon Creek.  If someone thought Nico was a threat....</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will chewed his lip and nodded.  “I’ll be there shortly,” he said.  “Give me a moment to settle my bill.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Clarisse nodded and turned away, disappearing into the crowd on her way out.  Will got Dakota’s attention and paid his tab before heading back to Nico. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nico looked Will over as he approached.  “What happened to our drinks?” he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will swallowed.  “I’m very sorry, but an emergency’s come up,” he said.  “We’ll have to cut our meeting short.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A flicker of disappointment danced across Nico’s face, but it was quickly gone.  “I see,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perhaps we could meet again another time,” Will continued, hoping that Nico wouldn’t take his departure as disinterest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nico raised an eyebrow.  “Is that what you want?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will wet his lips and nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then yes,” Nico said.  “Perhaps tomorrow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tomorrow,” Will agreed.  “May I walk you back to the inn?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nico smirked at Will the same way he had earlier that night.  “Such a gentleman,” he purred.  He got to his feet and picked up his crutch, then nodded for Will to lead the way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The walk was quiet and Will wasn’t sure what to say to fill the silence.  When they reached the inn, he wondered if he ought to kiss Nico’s hand, but ultimately, he was too nervous to attempt it.  Instead, he politely bid Nico goodnight and left him to head down the street to town hall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Will got inside, the room was bustling with activity.  Some people had taken their seats, but others were standing, and everyone was chatting away.  At the head of the room, the mayor, judge, and sheriff sat behind a table facing the crowd.  Frank and Clarisse were sitting upright with perfect posture, but Piper was slouching in her chair and twirling a gavel between her fingers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he saw Will enter, the mayor got to his feet.  “If you all would please—” Frank began, but the rest was inaudible under the crowd’s chatter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Clarisse stood up.  “Hey!  Everyone shut up!  The doctor’s here!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The room went silent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Sheriff,” said Frank.  “If you all would please take your seats, we’ll begin the meeting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was some grumbling as the crowd acquiesced and Will found a seat near Sally Jackson. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you all for coming on such short notice,” said Frank.  “I have gathered you to announce that I recently received word that the county marshal, Bryce Lawrence, is dead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A few whoops rose up from the townsfolk, and Will couldn’t deny feeling a bit glad himself.  He’d only met Bryce Lawrence once, but he knew the man was a tyrant.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How’d he finally kick the bucket?” Travis Stoll asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And when?” asked his brother, Connor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It appears he was shot in the face a little over a week ago,” said Frank, and whatever he said next was drowned out by the resulting cheers.  After Frank tried and failed to regain order, Clarisse stole the gavel that Piper had been playing with and slammed it on the table so hard that she left a noticeable dent.  “Hey!  Shut up and listen to the mayor!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Frank cleared his throat.  “Thank you, Sheriff,” he said.  “As I was saying, the county marshal has died—but that’s not the only reason I’ve called you.  From what I’ve heard, the killer’s identity remains unknown and the authorities are searching for him.  During the skirmish that resulted in Lawrence’s death, the killer is believed to have been shot in the leg.  Not long after, Ladon Creek welcomed a visitor with a wounded leg.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A hush fell over the room, then—</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The stranger murdered the marshal!” Katie Gardiner cheered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cacophony that followed was so riotous that Clarisse had to put a few more dents in the table to get them to calm down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you all forgetting that he </span>
  <em>
    <span>murdered</span>
  </em>
  <span> someone?” said Jason Grace, the town reverend.  “I realize that Lawrence was a horrible, evil man, but that doesn’t mean that his killer had just intentions.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Personally, I don’t care that he shot a lawman to death,” said Leo Valdez the blacksmith, which earned him a look from the sheriff.  “I care that he’s a wanted man,” Leo went on.  “People could come looking for him—the kind of people we don’t want in Ladon Creek.  What if they get here and find Miss Levesque and the Lakes, too?  Don’t you all remember what happened five years ago when Miss Levesque was reported to the marshal?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I remember,” said Hazel coldly.  “Frank and I had to stay in hiding for a few days while Jason and Annabeth pretended to be us.  But we handled it then and we can handle it now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And the laws have changed since then,” Piper added. “Oregon’s black exclusion laws were rendered obsolete by the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which states that anyone born on United States soil is a citizen and no state may violate their rights.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>Legally</span>
  </em>
  <span> speaking, Miss Levesque should be safe—except that we forged all her documents to say that she’s white so that she could own property when the black exclusion laws were still in effect.  That could present some challenges if people look too closely.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I doubt law enforcement officials will care whether she’s guilty of a crime at all,” said Percy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not if I’m guilty of being black,” Hazel added.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“True, and the law still isn’t completely just, either,” Piper agreed.  “But at least we now have </span>
  <em>
    <span>some</span>
  </em>
  <span> legal grounds to protect her on.  There’s a chance that I could help her as the judge.  The more concerning battle is that Mr. Mayor is a Canadian immigrant and therefore should not be able to hold office—there’s nothing the law can do for him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But this worry is based on speculation—we don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span> that Mr. di Angelo was the one who shot the marshal,” Mrs. Jackson pointed out.  “Our only evidence is that he happens to have a gunshot wound.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At the same time and in the same place as a murderer?” Clarisse asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sheriff, gun fights happen on a daily basis out here—you know that,” Will said.  “I can guarantee that Mr. di Angelo was not the only person to be shot in the leg last week.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The evidence wouldn’t hold up in</span>
  <em>
    <span> my </span>
  </em>
  <span>court,” Piper agreed.  “It’s entirely circumstantial.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Several people shot the judge doubtful glances, but no one spoke up.  The whole town knew that Piper relied more on her own moral compass than the actual law—which wasn’t always a bad thing, in Will’s opinion, because Piper’s moral compass was usually much more just.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you all suggesting we do—kick Mr. di Angelo out?” asked Hazel.  “Let’s suppose he </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> kill the marshal.  No, we don’t know his motives, but there were plenty of good reasons to want the marshal dead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There could be bad reasons, too,” Jason said.  “He’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>clearly</span>
  </em>
  <span> an outlaw.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So is your sister,” Hazel pointed out.  “And personally, I don’t think Mr. di Angelo is a bad person.  Dr. Solace, Mr. Stolls—you three were there yesterday when I met Mr. di Angelo on the street.  I think he was worried I was in trouble.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He could be like the Hunters,” Annabeth suggested.  “He can’t be one of them—they don’t accept men in their numbers—but maybe he’s similar.  Maybe they know each other.  If we knew where they were, we could ask them about him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a general mumble of agreement in the crowd.  The Hunters—an all-female gang of outlaws—were frequent visitors to Ladon Creek.  The townsfolk trusted them implicitly.  They were outlaws, but the law was seldom just.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doctor, Mrs. Jackson—what do you think?” Frank asked.  “The two of you have spent more time with him than anyone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr. di Angelo is a private man, but he’s been nothing but polite since arriving,” said Mrs. Jackson.  “I also agree with Miss Levesque—if he </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> kill the marshal, there are plenty of good reasons he may have done so.  Some people deserve to get shot in the face.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hear, hear,” Percy muttered under his breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And Dr. Solace?” Frank asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will swallowed.  “I admit that I think that the reverend was correct in thinking that Mr. di Angelo is an outlaw,” he admitted.  “He arrived wounded and he doesn’t have any supplies or extra clothes.  All he has is a bag full of money—stolen, probably.  But theft and shooting someone in the face are two very different things.  I think it’s entirely possible that the timing of his appearance is nothing more than a coincidence.  And, as Miss Levesque said, Mr. di Angelo doesn’t seem like a bad person.  I got the impression that he was trying to protect her when they met on the street yesterday.  He seemed to think that the Stoll brothers were harassing her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hazel shot the Stolls a glare.  “To be fair, they were,” she said.  The Stolls had been trying to buy the mine from her for years.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Also,” Will continued, “Mr. di Angelo is my patient and he’s in no shape for me to dismiss him.  I’m afraid that sending him away now could be a death sentence if his health takes another turn for the worse.  He may not be able to reach another doctor in time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you say, Mr. Mayor?” Clarisse asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Frank crossed his arms and looked thoughtful.  “It wouldn’t be right to send away a stranger just because we’re suspicious of him,” he said.  “We are trying to make judgements based purely on speculation.  If we find out more, we’ll hold another meeting.  In the meantime, we should all be cautious.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Did Sally Jackson shoot her ex-husband in the face and then take her son and flee west to escape the law?  Probably.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After the meeting, Will went back to his home above the clinic.  He lay in bed staring at the ceiling for so long that he was still awake when his mother came home from playing piano at the saloon in the early hours of the morning.  When he woke up to make breakfast for himself and his mother, he felt unusually groggy and sluggish even after he’d had his coffee.</p><p>Will was rather glad that the marshal was dead—it admittedly wouldn’t solve any of Oregon’s problems, but the taste of justice it provided was nice.  What bothered Will was that the town hall meeting had reminded him that he knew very little about Nico, that his relationship with Nico was dangerous, and that maybe Nico was dangerous, too.</p><p>“Are you going to ask him about it?” Will had asked Mrs. Jackson the night before.</p><p>“No, I don’t plan to,” Mrs. Jackson had answered.  “Frankly, I’m glad the marshal is dead.  But if Mr. di Angelo is on the run, he won’t want to tell anyone.”</p><p>Mrs. Jackson had a point, but Mrs. Jackson wasn’t the one who’d started a secret affair with Nico.</p><p>After breakfast, Will went downstairs to open the clinic.  He stayed in the back room all morning, grinding herbs in his mortar to restock his medicine supply.  It felt good to do something with his hands while he was thinking and the steady, constant tick of the clock in the front room grounded him.</p><p>Around noon, the bell on the front door dinged to announce Nico’s arrival—Will knew it was him from the sound of his crutch.</p><p>“I’m in the back,” Will called.  The thump of Nico’s crutch cane closer, stopping at the door.  Will glanced up to see Nico leaning against the frame with his arms crossed, still wearing clothes borrowed from Percy. </p><p>“Is your leg bothering you, Mr. di Angelo?” Will asked.</p><p>“No, not too badly,” Nico answered.  “Actually, I’m here to discuss the arrangement we were talking about last night.”</p><p>“Ah,” said Will.  He hadn’t forgotten that he’d invited Nico for drinks again, but he had been avoiding it.  Not because he didn’t want to see Nico—he <em> did </em>—but because he wasn’t sure he should.  Was it really wise to seek out someone he barely knew?  Could he really trust Nico?  Was it really safe?</p><p>“Are you alright, Doctor?” Nico asked.</p><p>“Yes,” Will replied.  “Just lost in thought.  I’m sorry I had to leave on such short notice last night.”</p><p>“I forgive you,” Nico replied.  “I hope no one was seriously hurt. ”</p><p>Will frowned.  “Hurt?” he asked.</p><p>“The emergency you had to tend to?”</p><p>“Ah.”  Will looked back down at his hands, still grinding the herbs with a slow twist of his wrist.  “No—no one was hurt.  It wasn’t that sort of emergency.  I was called to a sudden town hall meeting.”</p><p>In the other room, the clock ticked.  </p><p>“Oh?” said Nico. </p><p>Will set down his pestle and turned so that he could see Nico’s expression.  “The county marshal was killed last week,” he said.</p><p>There was no change in Nico’s expression—no surprise, no fear, no reaction whatsoever. </p><p>“Really?” he said.</p><p>“Gunshot wound, apparently,” Will continued.</p><p>“And the shooter?” Nico asked.</p><p>“Escaped,” Will answered.  “He was hit in the leg, according to reports.”</p><p>Nico’s face darkened.  “Is that so?”</p><p>“Allegedly,” Will answered.  He swallowed.  “It occurred to me that you have a similar injury.”</p><p>The clock ticked. </p><p>“Dr. Solace,” Nico said, his voice suddenly turning into a growl.  “Are you making an accusation?”</p><p>“I’m making an observation,” Will answered.</p><p>Nico’s eyes narrowed.  His lips pursed.  The clock ticked. </p><p>“Thank you for looking after me the past several days, Doctor,” Nico said, pushing off the doorframe and adjusting his crutch.  “But I think it’s time I leave town.”</p><p>“Mr. di Angelo—”</p><p>“I’ll be back later to settle my bill,” Nico told him before leaving the room.  Will heard a few dull thumps of his crutch against the floorboards, then the chime of the front door opening and closing.</p><p>And Nico was gone.</p><p>Will didn’t go after him.  He turned back to his mortar and closed his eyes.  </p><p>That’s that, he thought.  It’s over.</p><p>It was for the best.  Leo had made a good point at the meeting the night before: if Nico was a wanted man, he’d bring dangerous lawmen into Ladon Creek.  The sooner Nico left, the safer the town would be.</p><p>The safer <em> Will </em> would be, too—he’d known from the beginning that the tentative courtship he’d started with Nico was dangerous.  If someone discovered two men in a relationship, or if Nico discovered too much about Will....</p><p>The last time Will had a romantic partner, it hadn’t gone well.</p><p><em> He could be different, </em> supplied a hopeful voice in Will’s head.  <em> You won’t know unless you take the risk. </em></p><p>But it wasn’t a risk Will was sure he was willing to take.  </p><p>And yet...Will liked Nico.  He was handsome and mysterious and something about him drew Will in.  He wanted to take him out for drinks again and get to know him more.  Nico had been Will’s chance to let go and enjoy spending time with another person, at least for a little while.</p><p>He should have followed Mrs. Jackson’s lead and not asked questions.  If he hadn’t said anything, then he and Nico could still....</p><p>Will shook his head.  It wouldn’t have lasted long anyway.  Nico had intended to leave from the very beginning.  Nico leaving a bit earlier only meant that Will was missing out on a little fun.  In the long run, it wouldn’t matter.</p><p>It was for the best.</p><p>In the afternoon, Will’s mother came down to the clinic before heading to the saloon to play piano.  “You never came up for dinner,” she said.  “I was worried.”</p><p>“I wasn’t hungry,” Will said.</p><p>Will had told his mother the day before that he was planning to take Nico out for drinks.  He no doubt that Naomi also knew what had happened in the town hall last night.  People gossiped in the saloons.  </p><p>But Naomi didn’t ask any questions.  She stepped in and kissed Will’s cheek, then said, “If you want to talk, I’ll listen.”</p><p>An hour or two later, the door chimed again, announcing that Nico had arrived to settle his bill.  Will wiped his hands clean with a cloth and went into the front room to attend to him.</p><p>It was not Nico.</p><p>Instead, two familiar women stood waiting for him.  One wore her black hair in a braid, the other had hers chopped short, and both were clothed in trousers, boots, and varying shades of black and gray.</p><p>“I hadn’t heard the Hunters were coming to town,” said Will.</p><p>“We’re making a quick detour to get the scrape on Reyna’s arm checked,” said Thalia.</p><p>Will raised his eyebrows.  “Scrape?”</p><p>“Just a scrape this time,” Reyna confirmed.  “The bullet only grazed me.”</p><p>Will sighed, but he was used to having the Hunters frequenting his clinic with violent injuries.  “Sit down.  I’ll get my supplies.”</p><p>Reyna hopped onto the exam table and Thalia helped her out of her coat.  Underneath, the right sleeve of her shirt had been ripped off for easier access to the bandaged wound on her upper arm.  “I’m going to the church to let Jason know we’re in town,” Thalia said as Will ducked into the back room to grab what he needed to clean the wound.  “Meet me at the Jacksons’ inn when you’re done?”</p><p>“Will do, Lieutenant,” replied Reyna, and then the clinic door jingled again as Thalia left.</p><p>“How long will you stay this time?” Will asked as he reentered the room.</p><p>“We’re just passing through,” Reyna answered.  “We’re in a bit of a hurry.  Got into a little skirmish about a week ago.”</p><p>Will looked up from the supplies he’d laid out next to Reyna on the exam table.  A week ago?</p><p>“You wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with the marshal being shot, would you?” Will asked as he unwrapped the bandage around Reyna’s arm.</p><p>A flicker of satisfaction danced across Reyna’s face.  “Perhaps.”</p><p>Will bit his lip.</p><p>So then it wasn’t Nico who’d killed him.  It had been the hunters.</p><p>Will had scared Nico off for nothing.</p><p>It didn’t matter in the end, though—it just meant that Will’s tryst had been cut short.  Maybe it was a blessing. </p><p>“We heard that the shooter got hit in the leg,” Will said as he cleaned the shallow scrape on her arm.  “Who was it?  Did you bring them?”</p><p>Reyna’s expression fell.  “That wasn’t one of us,” she said.  “Thalia and I were working with an associate that night.  Haven’t heard from him since then.  I know he got away because I would have heard if they’d caught him, but I found out later that he’d been shot in the leg after we separated.  I hope he’s alright.”</p><p><em> He? </em> The hunters only accepted women.</p><p>“What do you mean by associate?” Will asked.</p><p>“He’s a bit of a loner, but we join up with him from time to time,” Reyna replied.  “His sister used to be one of us before she died a few years ago.  They’re good people.  They were all alone when Thalia found them—just a couple of Italian immigrants who came west searching for better lives.”</p><p>Will paused.  “Italian?” he asked.</p><p>“Yeah—you’re from New York, aren’t you?  They don’t like Italians much out there, from what I hear.”</p><p>Will’s hands shook as he cut a fresh bandage.  “What’s this associate’s name?” he asked.</p><p>“Nico di Angelo,” Reyna answered.</p><p>Will swallowed and started to rewrap Reyna’s arm.  “Nico di Angelo is here,” he said.  </p><p>“Here?” Reyna repeated.  “In Ladon Creek?”</p><p>“I’ve been tending to his wound the past several days,” Will replied, tying off Reyna’s bandage.  “He’s staying at the Jacksons’ inn.”</p><p>“Thank god,” Reyna said.  “Is he alright?  How badly was he hurt?”</p><p>“His wound was infected, but he’s recovering,” Will assured.  “He’s still not fully healed and he’s walking with a crutch.  You almost missed him.  He’s leaving town soon.”</p><p>“What?  Already?”</p><p>Will chewed his lip before sitting down next to the exam table.  “I don’t think he’s ready to leave yet,” he admitted.  “He still needs someone to tend to his wound and make sure it doesn’t become infected again.  He can hardly walk, let alone run from authorities if they catch up to him.  But...it’s my fault he’s leaving.  After I heard that the marshal’s killer had been shot in the leg, I made the mistake of asking Mr. di Angelo about it.  He took it as a cue to leave.  I shouldn’t have done that—even if I <em> was </em> right and Mr. di Angelo <em> was </em> the killer.”</p><p>“Now wait a moment,” Reyna interrupted.  “I never said that Nico killed Lawrence.  It’s certainly <em> possible</em>, but....”</p><p>Will frowned.  “Possible?” he repeated.</p><p>“It all happened so fast—I can’t be sure exactly which one of us fired the bullet that did the job,” she explained.  “And frankly, I don’t think it matters which one of us shot Lawrence because all of us were willing to do it.  But we didn’t go to town planning to take him out.  We were robbing a bank, actually.”</p><p>“What happened?” Will asked.</p><p>“Well,” Reyna said slowly, “you know that the county seat is a sundown town, don’t you?”</p><p>“Oh,” Will whispered.  “You don’t mean....”</p><p>“I do,” Reyna said.  “You know how it is there—as soon as the sun goes down, anyone who isn’t white has to leave.  Prevents crime, apparently.  We sneaked in and out of the bank easily.  It wasn’t until we were about to leave that we realized why no one had given us any trouble—all the lawmen were outside leading a riot because a Chinese family traveling north had tried to stay the night in a local inn.  A <em> family</em>, Doctor—with <em> children.” </em></p><p>“So you intervened,” Will said.</p><p>“It happened so fast,” Reyna repeated.  “I don’t know who shot the marshal.  The next thing I knew, we had grabbed the family and taken cover behind the bank.  Nico told us to take his horse and get the family out safely while he distracted the authorities.  I haven’t seen him since.”</p><p>“You <em> left </em> him there?”</p><p>“If you knew Nico as well as I do, you’d know that he’d find a way out.  But I still worried.”</p><p>“And the family?” Will asked.  “Were they hurt?”</p><p>“No, they’re safe and traveling with us,” Reyna answered.  “We’re escorting them north.  The father has a job lined up with a railroad in the Washington Territory.”</p><p>“Thank god you happened to be there.”</p><p>“This isn’t an uncommon occurrence for the Hunters,” Reyna said.  “But don’t make the mistake of thinking us heroes—focusing on <em> us </em> and what <em> we </em> did is wrong.  We should be focusing on <em> them</em>.  That family shouldn’t have needed us to step in because this shouldn’t have happened.”</p><p>Will nodded.  “You’re right,” he said.  “We all just have to do our part to help when we can.  Mine is providing treatment and medicine for those in need.  Bring the family here before you leave if they need anything.  I won’t charge them.  People like us have to stick together.”</p><p>Reyna raised an eyebrow.  “People like us?” she asked.</p><p>Outcasts and people on the run, Will almost said—but he stopped himself.  Even in Ladon Creek, and even with the Hunters, Will wasn’t sure who he could trust.  He looked like an ordinary white man—maybe his figure was smallish and maybe his voice wasn’t very deep, but no one had a reason to suspect he might be different from any other man.</p><p>“People who’d be willing to shoot the marshal in the face, I mean,” Will said, because that was true, too.  “But I’m not a very good shot, so I think we’d all be safer if I left the guns to you.”</p><p>Reyna laughed.  “Stick to what you’re good at, Doctor,” she said, getting to her feet and, with some difficulty, slipping into her coat.  “I’m going to the Jacksons’ inn to rent a room and see Nico.  Thalia and I will come by again before we leave in the morning to pick up some supplies.”</p><p>Will nodded.  “Reyna,” he said, “when you see Mr. di Angelo, would you mind telling him that when I asked about the marshal, I....”</p><p>Will trailed off.  He wasn’t quite sure what he wanted Reyna to tell Nico.</p><p>No, that was a lie.  He knew.  He wanted to say, <em> please stay, at least a little while longer. </em></p><p>“I’ll make sure he knows he’s safe in Ladon Creek,” Reyna said.  “Have a good evening, Dr. Solace.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Nico returned to the inn, he changed back into his own clothes and returned Percy’s to Mrs. Jackson.</p><p>“You’re leaving?” she asked.</p><p>“I’m afraid so,” he answered.  “Thank you for looking after me, Mrs. Jackson—especially when I was ill.”</p><p>Mrs. Jackson sighed.  “Is this because of what was discussed at town hall last night?” she asked.  “Did someone say something to you?”</p><p>Nico swallowed and glanced away. </p><p>“Everyone in Ladon Creek hates the marshal,” Mrs. Jackson said.  “If people are scared, it’s not of you—it’s the authorities that might be following you that they’re worried about.”</p><p>“That’s why I have to leave,” said Nico.  “I can’t bring them here.”</p><p>Mrs. Jackson shook her head, but didn’t try to convince him otherwise.  “At least stay one more night,” she said.  “It’s already getting late to start traveling today.  I’ll send you off in the morning with a good breakfast and some food for your trip.”</p><p>Nico relented, because truthfully, he didn’t want to leave yet, either.  It had been a long, long time since someone had taken care of him the way the Jacksons did. </p><p>A few hours later, when Nico was in the kitchen helping Mrs. Jackson bake, they heard the front door open and a familiar female voice called out for Mrs. Jackson.  Mrs. Jackson wiped her hands on her apron and told Nico she’d be back in a moment before leaving to greet her guest.</p><p>“Miss Reyna,” she said.  “What a wonderful surprise!”</p><p>
  <em> Reyna? </em>
</p><p>Nico dropped his rolling pin and grabbed his crutch before hurrying out of the kitchen to find Reyna standing in the front room, carrying a bag over her shoulder and looking none the worse for wear.</p><p>“Reyna?” he said.</p><p>She smiled widely.  “Nico di Angelo,” she said.  “I heard you were staying here.”  Then she crossed the room and pulled Nico into a tight one-armed hug.</p><p>“You know each other?” asked Mrs. Jackson.  “That makes sense—Annabeth thought you might.”</p><p>“Nico’s an associate of the Hunters,” Reyna explained.  “We got separated last week.  I was relieved when I heard you were taking care of him.”</p><p>“Well, any friend of the Hunters is welcome in Ladon Creek,” said Mrs. Jackson.  “How long will you be staying?”</p><p>“Just one night, unfortunately,” Reyna said.  “Thalia and I rode in ahead, but the rest of us should be here this evening.  We’re escorting a small family.  How many rooms can you spare?”</p><p>“Right now Mr. di Angelo is our only guest, so we should be able to take all of you, provided you don’t mind sharing,” answered Mrs. Jackson.  “I ought to start planning dinner now if we’re going to have so many mouths to feed tonight.  It’s a good thing you and I got started on baking so early, Mr. di Angelo.  Miss Reyna, you can take your usual room.  Why don’t you two catch up while I take care of Miss Reyna’s horse?”</p><p>When Mrs. Jackson left them, Reyna looked Nico up and down.  “That’s a good look on you,” she said, nodding at the apron Nico had borrowed from Paul.  “You have flour on your face.”</p><p>Nico scrubbed his cheek with the back of his hand.  “Don’t make fun,” he said.</p><p>“I wasn’t, actually,” Reyna replied.  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you looking so...at home.”</p><p>“I’m just passing through,” Nico said.  “I’m not staying.”</p><p>“Yes, the doctor said you were leaving,” Reyna said with a bitter frown.  “He also said you weren’t fully healed yet.”</p><p><em> Doesn’t matter, </em>Nico almost replied.  Will didn’t want him there.</p><p>“I didn’t know Thalia had a brother,” Nico said to change the topic. </p><p>“He’s the reverend here in Ladon Creek.  I expect Thalia will bring him here to join us for dinner.”</p><p>Nico wasn’t sure how he felt about that.  As a general rule, he didn’t like priests.</p><p>“Jason’s a good man,” said Reyna, like she read the displeasure in his expression.  “A bit stiff sometimes, but gentle and soft-spoken.  You’ll like him once you get to know him.”</p><p>Nico didn’t plan on getting to know him. </p><p>“How’s your arm?” he asked.</p><p>“Fine,” replied Reyna.  “It was just a shallow scratch.  I had the doctor take a look at it before I came here.  And your leg?  The doctor mentioned an infection.”</p><p>Nico scowled.  “Seems the doctor was awfully chatty with you,” he said.</p><p>“He’s a friend,” Reyna replied.  “Your leg?”</p><p>“My leg is <em> fine.” </em></p><p>Reyna rolled her eyes.  She obviously didn’t believe him.</p><p>“Come on,” she said, jerking her head to the stairs.  “Think you can make it upstairs?”</p><p>It turned out Nico <em> could </em>make it up the stairs, albeit with some difficulty.  When they got to Reyna’s room, he nearly collapsed from exhaustion in the room’s chair.</p><p>Reyna tutted as she started unpacking her bag.  “And you think you’re ready to leave.”</p><p>“I can take care of myself,” Nico said.</p><p>“I’ve heard that before.  Well, if you insist upon leaving, then you should travel with us for a while so we can make sure you’re safe.”</p><p>“I’ll only slow you down—” Nico started, but Reyna cut him off.</p><p>“We’re already going slowly—we have children with us, remember?  Anyway, we still have Maria and all the supplies you left with us.  The rest of the Hunters will bring them when they get here.”</p><p>“Thank god,” said Nico.  He’d missed Maria, the black mare that he’d travelled with for years.  “You can take Cavala.”</p><p>“Cavala?” Reyna asked.  “What’s that?”</p><p>“The horse I...well.  I didn’t exactly <em> steal </em> her, seeing as her owner was dead.”</p><p>Reyna’s jaw dropped.  “You can’t mean Bryce Lawrence’s horse.”</p><p>Nico shrugged.  “He wasn’t using her anymore.”</p><p>“You stole Bryce Lawrence’s horse!” she said, looking utterly delighted.  “Nico, you sneaky son of a bitch—”</p><p>“I had to get out of the city and she was available!”</p><p>“And he named his horse <em> Cavala?” </em>Reyna said.  “What an idiot—he probably heard some Spanish-speakers calling horses ‘caballos’ but couldn’t pronounce the word correctly.  Who names their horse ‘horse’?”</p><p>Nico cleared his throat.  “Actually, it’s not Spanish,” he said.  “It’s Venetian.”</p><p><em> “You </em> named her that?”</p><p>“Well, I didn’t exactly have time to ask what her name was before I took her,” said Nico.  “When the doctor asked me, I just said the first thing that came to mind.”</p><p>“I can’t believe you named her ‘horse,’ you wonderful idiot.”</p><p>Nico crossed his arms.  “Well, she’s yours as soon as I get Maria back.  You can rename her.”</p><p>“Absolutely not,” said Reyna.  “Poor girl has already had her name changed once—I wouldn’t do that to her again.  I’m afraid she’s stuck with the name.  We’ll take care of her, and if you must leave tomorrow, we’ll take care of you until you’re well again, too.  But I really think you ought to stay here and let the doctor look after you.”</p><p>“Reyna, you <em> know </em> why I can’t stay here much longer,” Nico insisted.  “There are people looking for me after what happened last week—the kind of people who could do a lot of harm to Ladon Creek.  I met the mayor the other day.  He’s a Chinese immigrant.  After what those people did to the family that night—”</p><p>“Actually, the mayor is a <em> Canadian </em> immigrant, not a Chinese immigrant,” Reyna corrected.  “His parents and grandparents were Chinese immigrants, but he was born in Canada.”</p><p>“Somehow I doubt the county lawmen will care,” Nico said.  “They hate all immigrants—<em>especially </em> ones who look like Mr. Zhang.”</p><p>“Well, it’s a good thing they stopped chasing you, then,” said Reyna.</p><p>“They—what?”</p><p>“They stopped chasing you,” Reyna repeated.  “We had some Hunters act as scouts to collect information, hoping that we’d hear if you ran into any trouble so that we could send help if you’d been caught.  Once you got far enough away, they gave up.  No one could identify us that night because it was dark and we’d tied masks over our faces before robbing the bank.  One of our scouts brought back copies of the wanted posters of us—they were horrible.  They thought Thalia was a white man and I was a black woman.”</p><p>“Wait,” said Nico.  “So you’re saying....”</p><p>“I’m saying you’re safe here, Nico.  No one’s chasing you.  No one in Ladon Creek is upset that the marshal is dead.  In fact, I’m fairly certain they’re pleased.  The doctor feels terrible that he drove you away when he confronted you about it.”</p><p>Nico pursed his lips.  “Is there anything the doctor <em> didn’t </em> tell you?” he scowled.</p><p>Reyna smirked.  “Well, he didn’t tell me that he was wildly smitten with you, but I could tell.”</p><p>“I—” Nico started, but he stopped, blushed, and looked away.</p><p>“It appears to be mutual,” Reyna observed.  “Another reason you should stay.”</p><p>“Even if I did, I’d have to leave eventually,” Nico said.  “I can’t stay forever.”</p><p>“Why?” Reyna asked.</p><p>“You <em> know </em> why, Reyna.”</p><p>“Actually, I don’t,” she said.  “You’re safe here.  You seem happy here.  Maybe it’s time you think about finding a place to call home.”</p><p>Nico couldn’t meet Reyna’s eyes.  “I don’t think that’s possible,” he said.  “But if it will make you feel better, then yes, I’ll stay here a little longer—at least until I’m healed.”</p><p> </p><p>When Nico and Reyna went back downstairs to help Mrs. Jackson with dinner, Thalia and her brother had already arrived to do the same.  The reverend looked at Nico skeptically at first, but after Thalia made introductions, he nodded at Nico, almost like he was saying, ‘If my sister likes you, then you’re alright with me.’</p><p>The rest of the Hunters and the family they were escorting arrived that evening, bringing along Maria and Nico’s belongings.  The family looked well, to Nico’s relief, and Maria seemed as happy about their reunion as Nico.  </p><p>Later, after supper but before the sun had completely fallen, Nico left the Jacksons’ inn for the doctor’s clinic.  He wasn’t sure if Will would still be in the office, but the door was unlocked and when the bell rang as Nico entered, Will called from the back room to say he’d be right there.</p><p>When Will appeared, he stood in the doorway for a moment staring at Nico and tightly gripping the cloth that he was using to wipe his hands.  “Mr. di Angelo,” he greeted.  “Come to settle your bill?”</p><p>“Yes,” said Nico, and it was only half a lie.  He took a few coins from his coat pocket and walked into the room to set them on the doctor’s desk.</p><p>“Still leaving town in the morning?” Will asked.</p><p>Nico wet his lips.  “It occurred to me that it may not be wise to travel until my wound fully heals,” he said.</p><p>“No,” Will agreed.  “It’s not.”</p><p>“I suppose I could stay a little while longer,” Nico said.  “Just until my leg fully heals.  I’m not in as much of a rush as I thought I was.”</p><p>“I think that’s a good idea,” Will said.</p><p>The clock ticked a few times before Will stepped forward and collected the money Nico had left on the desk.  He slipped the coins into the pocket of his waistcoat, keeping his eyes locked on Nico’s the entire time.  “You know,” he continued, “it’s too bad that I didn’t have the chance to make up for leaving our meeting so early last night.”</p><p>Nico wet his lips.  “The day’s not over yet,” he pointed out.</p><p>“True,” Will replied.  “The saloons are always open.”</p><p>Nico waited.  And then—</p><p>“Care to join me for a drink, Mr. di Angelo?” Will asked.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for not posting since Halloween but in my defense I’m sure we can agree that it has been an eventful week</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The day after Will’s second attempt at taking Nico out for drinks, Nico went to the clinic so Will could check his wound, but stayed long after Will had finished.  Will took Nico out again that evening.  The next day, Will accompanied Nico when he took Maria for a ride.  And for the next week or so, Will found himself spending more and more time with Nico.</p><p>As Nico’s leg healed, Will started to invite him on walks—half as a doctor who thought some light exercise could help his patient and half because he simply wanted to.  One sunny morning during a walk around town, Will noticed Nico’s movements becoming tired and his breathing becoming more labored, and he asked if Nico would like to take a break.</p><p>“I’m alright,” Nico panted.</p><p>“Well, <em> I </em> would,” Will said.  He pointed to a bench in the shade outside the dry goods store.  “Let’s rest over there for a little while.”</p><p>Nico looked at the bench, nodded, and allowed Will to lead him there.  He heaved a sigh when he sat down, sinking into the bench and stretching out his good leg.  Nico had gradually stopped using his crutch over the past week, but he hadn’t brought up leaving yet.  Will knew it was only a matter of time, but he was almost grateful for Nico’s limp keeping him in Ladon Creek.</p><p>Nico seemed to be enjoying himself, too.  He often spoke about the Jacksons in an almost familial way.  He lavished praise upon Sally and Paul, gushed about baby Estelle, and complained about Percy with a fond air that made it clear he really did like him.  Will always listened intently, enjoying the way Nico seemed to glow when he mentioned their names.</p><p>Will offered Nico water from the skin in his bag.  Nico accepted.  After a long drink, he returned the skin to Will. </p><p>“Good to see you, Mr. di Angelo, and you as well, Doctor!” called Katie Gardiner from across the street.  Will exchanged greetings with her as she passed, but Nico only managed an awkward wave and a short ‘hello.’  People always greeted Nico when they saw him now.  Nico looked surprised every time.  After a brief moment of shock, he would smile awkwardly and wave back like he wasn’t used to that kind of reception.</p><p>“Don’t make fun,” Nico mumbled when Katie was gone.  “Stop smiling like that.”</p><p>Will hadn’t realized he’d been smiling, but he quickly fixed his expression.  Nico had started to become rather well-liked in Ladon Creek; the Hunters had spent some time mingling around town before they left and they told the townspeople that Nico was an associate of theirs, vouched for his character, and assured them that Nico wasn’t being followed.  Will enjoyed seeing Nico this way—being liked and accepted when he clearly wasn’t used to it.</p><p>He wouldn’t say that to Nico, however.  The relationship between him and Nico was just a short-lived tryst.  Admitting how fond he was would make him seem too invested.</p><p>“Ready to walk back?” Will asked.</p><p>Nico nodded and got back to his feet.  Standing up and sitting down were still challenging for him without the help of his crutch, but Will didn’t offer assistance.  Relearning to move on his own was part of the healing process.</p><p>“Will we go out again this evening, Doctor?” Nico asked.</p><p>Will chewed his lip.  He wasn’t sure he should keep taking Nico to the saloons during their outings—it didn’t seem like an appropriate place to invite a suitor.  Nico didn’t seem to mind it, though.  Perhaps it was only female suitors that he shouldn’t take to saloons, or perhaps it wasn’t as inappropriate in the west as it was on the east coast.  Will had very little experience on the matter.  He’d only had one very short-lived attempt at a courtship before, and that had been with a woman in New York shortly after he’d finished medical school.  Courting in the west wasn’t like courting in the east—the rules were far less rigid.  While some may have found that liberating, Will found the uncertainty terrifying.  He felt like he was walking blindly with no instructions or even a clue what his destination was.  And how was Will supposed to navigate a relationship between two men?  How was it different from a relationship between a man and a woman?  He didn’t have to worry about protecting a woman’s reputation, but he <em> did </em> have to worry about being caught.  What else was different?  How much of the proper etiquette was the same?  Was Will still supposed to pull out Nico’s chair or open doors for him?  Was Nico supposed to do the same for him?  Should he offer Nico flowers or chocolates or some other gift?</p><p>“I was thinking we could do something else tonight,” Will said.  “Would you like to come over for supper?”  It wouldn’t be appropriate to invite a woman into his house, but a male suitor could be different.  They had to keep their relationship private, and perhaps meeting alone in Will’s home was a way to do that.</p><p>Nico turned to Will with surprise—but Will couldn’t tell if it was a <em> good </em> surprise or <em> bad </em>surprise.  “You want me to come into your home,” Nico said, somewhere between a statement and a question.</p><p>“Unless you’d rather not,” Will added.</p><p>Nico blinked slowly and glanced around to make sure no one was within earshot.  “Won’t your mother be there?” he asked quietly.</p><p>“No,” Will said.  “She plays piano at one of the saloons in the evening.  She won’t be back until very late at night or very early in the morning.”</p><p>“And...are you planning to cook?” Nico asked.</p><p>“Well, yes,” Will said.  “I’m not as talented as Mrs. Jackson, but I can make a decent supper.”  When Nico said nothing, Will glanced at his feet and mumbled, “We can do something else if you’d rather not.  I’m sorry.”</p><p>“You’re sorry?” Nico asked.  “For what?”</p><p>“If asking made you uncomfortable,” Will answered.</p><p>“You haven’t made me uncomfortable,” Nico said.  “I’m just surprised.”  He glanced around to make sure no one could hear them again, then whispered, “Men don’t usually invite me to have supper in their homes.”</p><p>Will’s eyes remained fixed on his shoes.  “I’m sorry,” he said again.  “I don’t have much experience in this.  I’m not quite sure how two men are supposed to act.”</p><p>There was a beat of silence while Will stared at his feet walking along the side of the road, then Nico said, “That’s alright.  I think you’re doing well.  I’d love to come over for supper tonight.”</p><p>“You would?” Will asked.</p><p>“Yes, I think that sounds nice,” said Nico.  “Thank you for inviting me.  And don’t worry—I’ll leave before your mother gets home.” </p><p>Will frowned.  “Why?”</p><p>Nico blinked at him.  “So she doesn’t find out about this?” he whispered, his tone making it sound more like a question than an answer.</p><p>Will waited a few more steps to answer—after they’d reached the clinic and Will had gestured Nico inside.</p><p>“She already knows,” Will said when the door was closed behind them. </p><p>Nico’s jaw dropped.  “You <em> told </em> her?”</p><p>“I’m sorry,” said Will.  “Should I not have?”</p><p>Nico opened and closed his mouth a few times.  “I just...I thought...no one’s ever told their mother about me.  It’s always very secret.”</p><p>“My mother isn’t like most people,” Will said.  “I don’t have to keep secrets from her.”</p><p>Nico put his hands on his hips and stared at Will for a moment before saying, “You’re very lucky.”</p><p>“I know,” said Will.  His mother had always supported him.  “You don’t have anyone you can speak to?”</p><p>“Well...some of the Hunters are like us,” Nico admitted.</p><p>“Wait,” Will said.  “The Hunters are...?”</p><p>“Not all of them,” said Nico.  “Some prefer women, but most of them aren’t interested in romance at all.  They all know about me.”</p><p>Will blinked but didn’t question further.  Maybe he’d ask Thalia or Reyna about it the next time they came to Ladon Creek, but then again, maybe it was best he said nothing at all.  “Well, my mother wouldn’t tell anyone about us,” he said.  “So, will you come over for supper?  I live just upstairs.  No one will think it’s odd to see you entering the clinic this evening.  And I thought it would be nice to meet somewhere private, where we don’t have to worry about anyone catching us.”</p><p>Nico smiled—not the sly, flirtatious smile he sometimes gave Will, but a softer, more affectionate one.  “I’d like that,” he said.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Not much happened in this update but the next chapter should come out in a few days and it's a pretty big one!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Will was glad he’d invited Nico to supper rather than dinner.  If he’d tried to make a grand meal for Nico, he surely would have embarrassed himself by making something drastically inferior to what Nico had at the Jackson’s inn every day.  But a light supper?  That was just a few fresh loaves of bread, some jam, and a bit of soup.  He could make that.  In the end, Will admittedly prepared a bit too much food for such a light meal—he usually didn’t eat much by himself—but it was far better that he made too much food than leave a guest hungry.</p><p>Nico arrived when the sky was starting to turn orange and the bread was cooling on the table.  He was wearing his usual dark colors—the Hunters had returned his belongings to him before they left, so he no longer had to borrow Percy’s clothes.  He looked more clean-shaven than he had that morning, but it could have been Will’s imagination.</p><p>“You sold yourself short—you’re quite good,” Nico said as they were eating.</p><p>“Not as good as Mrs. Jackson,” Will replied.</p><p>“Well, that’s an unfair comparison,” said Nico.  “I can cook well enough for myself when I’m on the road, but not like this.  Who taught you?”</p><p>“My mother—when I was growing up, she taught me to do some of the more feminine household chores,” Will explained.  “I can sew, as well.  My instructors in medical school were always impressed by how easily I could stitch wounds.  They thought I had a natural talent for it, but really my mother had taught me.  It was just the two of us when I was growing up, so I helped her with household chores.  I still do—we share the responsibilities.”</p><p>“You didn’t have any siblings to help?” Nico asked.</p><p>Will shook his head.  “No.  It’s always been my mother and I.”</p><p>“What about your father?” Nico asked.  “You mentioned he was a Union doctor.  Did he not come back from the war?”</p><p>“You remember that?” Will asked.  “You had a high fever when I mentioned that—I wasn’t sure you’d remember anything I said.”</p><p>“I remember everything,” Nico replied.</p><p>Will swallowed.  Did Nico remember calling him an angel, too?</p><p>“Yes, he was a Union doctor,” Will said instead.  “But no, he’s alive and well, living in New York.  My parents weren’t married.  My father checked in from time to time and saw to it that we didn’t struggle financially, but we never lived together.  He and I are on good terms, though—we exchange letters as often as we can, given the distance.  But don’t tell anyone I said that—most people in Ladon Creek assume that my father passed.  People treat my mother terribly when they find out she had a child without marrying.”</p><p>“Your secret is safe with me,” Nico promised.  “I understand—I was raised by a single mother, too.”</p><p>They finished supper shortly after, and when Nico started to help Will with the dishes, Will said, “I’ll clean up, Mr. di Angelo.  Why don’t you wait in the sitting room?”</p><p>Nico clicked his tongue and gave Will a teasing half-smirk.  “Do you always call the men who keep you company ‘mister’?”</p><p>Will blushed.  There had never been any ‘men who kept him company’ before Nico.  “I don’t...I...well.  This isn’t something I usually do.”</p><p>“What, invite men over for supper?”</p><p>“Any of this,” Will answered.  “So I may not know the  correct...etiquette.”</p><p>“Ah,” said Nico.  “Well, you don’t have to keep calling me ‘Mr. di Angelo’ when we’re in private.  ‘Nico’ will do.  But other than that, I think your ‘etiquette’ is just fine.  Men don’t usually cook for me.  I like it.”</p><p>“That’s...that’s good,” Will stammered.</p><p>“Let me help you clean up,” Nico said.  “You made all this for me—it’s the least I can do.”</p><p>Will swallowed and nodded, and he washed the dishes while Nico dried.  When he finished the last plate, Will took a moment to watch the knuckles of Nico’s calloused hands as he dried the remaining dishes, then he took a deep breath and said, “When I said that I don’t usually do this, I meant...well, ever.  I’ve never pursued a relationship with another man before.”</p><p>Nico paused while holding a rag against a plate and looked up at Will.  “Really?” he asked.  <em> “</em>Never?”</p><p>Will blushed and shook his head.</p><p>“Well,” said Nico, “Every relationship is different.  I've never been with someone exactly like you, so this—what we’re doing—is unique.  It’s new for both of us.  We can figure it out together.”</p><p>Will bit his lip as Nico turned back to the plate he was drying.  He wondered how much time they had to ‘figure it out together.’</p><p>Whatever the answer, he wished it were longer.</p><p>“Go have a seat in the other room,” Will said when Nico set the dry plate back down.  “I’ll bring drinks in a moment.”</p><p>As Nico passed him, the back of his hand brushed against Will’s.  Will didn’t think it was an accident.</p><p>He took a breath to compose himself before getting a pair of glasses and fetching a bottle of wine—something a little more nice than the whiskey they usually drank in the saloons.  His hands shook as he poured and he almost wondered if inviting Nico over had been a good idea after all if it was making him so nervous, but a much larger part of him was screaming that it had been wonderfully brilliant. </p><p>When Will joined Nico, he found him standing by the shelves that lined the wood-paneled walls, examining Will’s books.  Nico turned as Will approached him and took the offered glass with a thank you, then nodded to the shelves.  “You have quite the collection,” he observed.</p><p>“Medical texts, mostly,” Will said.  “I try to order from the east coast as much as I can to stay up to date.  But there are also things I keep purely for enjoyment.”</p><p>Nico took a sip of wine, then reached out and pulled one book from the shelves—<em>Leaves of Grass</em>.</p><p>“You know,” he said, “when you told me you liked Whitman, I thought it was a code.”</p><p>“It was,” said Will, gesturing for Nico to sit down on the gray-striped couch.  “But I also like Whitman.  My father once told me that men like us mention his name to identify each other.  I started reading out of curiosity.”</p><p>“Your father?” Nico asked as he sat down.</p><p>“He’s like us, too,” Will explained.</p><p>Nico nodded absently.  “I wondered how you knew that code when you seem so new to this,” he said, opening the cover and flipping through the pages.</p><p>“I’m—”</p><p>“Don’t say you’re sorry,” Nico interrupted.  “You’ve done nothing wrong.”</p><p>Will closed his mouth and stood very still for a second as he fought the impulse to apologize for apologizing, then he joined Nico on the couch, making sure to leave an appropriate distance between them.  “Do you like Whitman?” he asked.</p><p>“I’ve never actually read anything by him,” Nico said, closing the cover again.  “I can’t read very well.  I find it more frustrating than enjoyable.”</p><p>Nico set the book aside and draped his arm over the back of the couch.  As he took a sip from his glass, his fingertips brushed against Will’s shoulder and played along the seam in his coat.  Will stared at Nico’s fingers, hardly daring to breathe.  What was Nico doing?  Why?</p><p>And why did Will like it?</p><p>“I’m glad you invited me over tonight, Will,” Nico said.  “I’ve enjoyed spending time with you.”</p><p>Will swallowed.  What was Nico saying?  Was he about to leave?</p><p>But Nico didn’t get up.  Instead, he shifted closer.</p><p>“Will?” he whispered.</p><p>Will’s tongue felt too heavy to move.  “Hn?”</p><p>“Can I kiss you?” Nico asked. </p><p>Will’s breath hitched.  His mind blanked.</p><p>“Yes,” he croaked.</p><p>Nico set his glass next to the abandoned book, but Will sat frozen and unable to move, so Nico took his glass and set it aside, too.  Then his hand came up and the backs of his fingers brushed against Will’s jaw before cradling the back of Will’s head and gently guiding him closer.  First, their foreheads met, then Nico changed the angle and their noses touched, and then their lips lightly brushed against each other—so lightly that it was more a pass of air than real contact.</p><p>Then Nico kissed him.</p><p>Will’s first thought was that it felt strange.  His lips tickled against the foreign pressure and vibrations of another’s.  But it was good, too.  It was like the world had frozen in time, like Will’s chest was about to erupt, like his whole body was screaming in affirmation, telling him <em> yes, yes, yes—this is what you are supposed to be doing.  </em></p><p>The kiss lasted only a second, and when it was over, Will pulled back and touched his own lips in shock.</p><p>“What’s wrong?” Nico asked.</p><p>“Nothing,” Will quickly said, dropping his hand away from his mouth.  “It’s just...I’ve never....”</p><p>He trailed off.  Nico waited.  When Will didn’t continue, Nico said, “Never?  Not once?”</p><p>Will shook his head.</p><p>“But...you said you were twenty-seven.”</p><p>“I am,” said Will.</p><p>“But you’re so beautiful.”</p><p>Will blushed, more embarrassed and uncomfortable than flattered.  “Thank you,” he mumbled.</p><p>“Why haven’t you ever kissed anyone?”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Will lied.  “I just haven’t.”</p><p>“Have you never wanted to?”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Will said again.  “I just...I’ve never...I’m sorry.”</p><p>“No, no—<em>I’m </em> sorry, I shouldn’t pry,” Nico said.  “I don’t care if you’ve kissed a hundred people or none.  All that matters is whether you liked it when <em> I </em> kissed you.  Did you?”</p><p>Will swallowed.  He nodded.</p><p>Nico scooted closer—so close that their thighs touched.  “Would you like to do it again?”</p><p>Will didn’t answer.  He touched Nico’s jaw and brought their lips together again.  The second kiss was just as shocking, strange, and euphoric as the first—</p><p>Then there was a third kiss, and a fourth, and a fifth.</p><p>Nico pulled back and pressed his forehead against Will’s.</p><p>“Is this alright?” Nico asked.  “You’re sure?”</p><p>“Yes,” said Will.  “Why wouldn’t I be?”</p><p>“It’s just...I guessed a while ago that you were new to this, but I didn’t realize <em> how </em> new,” Nico said.</p><p>Will’s eyes drifted down to his lap.  “I’m sorry.”</p><p>“Don’t be sorry—you haven’t done anything wrong,” said Nico, pulling back and taking Will’s hand.  “I’m only trying to understand if you need me to go more slowly or take the lead more often.  Or maybe you need me to let <em> you </em> lead?  Are there things that I do that make you uncomfortable?  Am I too forward?”</p><p>“I like what’s happened so far,” Will said, then he paused for a second, realizing that that wasn’t quite true.  “Well.  Sometimes I don’t like it when you call me beautiful.”</p><p>Nico frowned.  “Why?” he asked.</p><p>“I...don’t know, exactly,” Will admitted.  “Sometimes I like it, but sometimes I don’t.  I didn’t like it just now when you said you didn’t understand why I hadn’t kissed anyone because I’m beautiful.”</p><p>“Do you dislike the word?  Or did you think I meant that was the only reason someone would kiss you?”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Will said again.  “Maybe.”</p><p>“Alright,” Nico said.  “I don’t completely understand, but I won’t say it anymore.  If I do or say something you don’t like again, I want you to tell me.  I’ll try my best to be more attentive to your responses, too.  And for the record, I didn’t kiss you because I think you’re attractive.  I kissed you because I like you.”</p><p>Will’s face went hot.  That time, he <em> did </em> feel flattered—<em>deeply </em> flattered, so much so that he couldn’t speak even though he desperately wanted to say that he liked Nico, too.</p><p>But before Will could regain control of his tongue, the moment passed and Nico spoke again.  “I’m going to ask you something, and if you don’t want to answer, you don’t have to,” he said.  “You mentioned you’ve never had a relationship with another man before.  Have you ever been in a relationship<em> at all?”  </em></p><p>Will swallowed.  “I briefly courted a woman before my mother and I moved west,” he said.  “But that was years ago and it didn’t last long.”</p><p>“And since then, you’ve never...?”</p><p>Will cleared his throat.  “It didn’t end well between us,” he whispered.  “I haven’t been brave enough to try again.”</p><p>“Why did you decide to try with me?” Nico asked.</p><p>Will averted his eyes, and Nico let out a quiet <em> oh. </em></p><p>“Because I’m leaving,” Nico sighed.  “That’s it, isn’t it?  You’re afraid of being hurt and there isn’t as much of a risk with me because you already know how it’ll end between us.”</p><p>Will closed his eyes and didn’t answer. </p><p>“And this is why you seem so scared all the time, isn’t it?” said Nico.  “I thought it was just the threat of being discovered, but you’re afraid I’ll hurt you, aren’t you?”</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Will whispered.</p><p>“No, don’t be,” Nico said.  “You don’t have to apologize for being hurt or scared.  I’ve felt that way, too.  It must have taken a lot of courage to approach me.  I’m honored.”  Nico squeezed Will’s hand.  “And I’m glad you told me this.  Thank you for opening up to me.”</p><p>Will’s mouth felt dry.  He didn’t know what to say and he was afraid that if he spoke at all his voice would crack and he’d start to cry.  He averted his eyes, worried Nico might see them growing red with the threat of tears, and merely nodded in acknowledgement.</p><p>Nico cleared his throat, picked up <em> Leaves of Grass</em>, and slid it onto Will’s lap.  “Do you think you could read to me?” he asked.  “I’ve always wanted to hear Whitman’s poetry.”</p><p>Will swallowed against the lump forming in his throat and nodded again.</p><p>He began, of course, with <em> Song of Myself</em>.  Then he read <em> Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking</em>, then <em> Song of the Open Road</em>, and then <em> When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d</em>.  Evening passed and day turned into night, and Nico leaned into Will’s shoulder and his eyes closed.  As Will continued to read, Nico’s breathing grew even and his body went still.  </p><p>Will looked down at him for a moment, holding his breath while he waited to make sure he was asleep. Once he was satisfied, Will flipped through the pages until he found the poem he was looking for.  In a whisper, he continued to read.</p><p><em> Passing stranger! you do not know how longingly I look upon you,<br/></em> <em> You must be he I was seeking, or she I was seeking, (it comes to me as of a dream,)<br/></em> <em> I have somewhere surely lived a life of joy with you,<br/></em> <em> All is recall’d as we flit by each other, fluid, affectionate, chaste, matured,<br/></em> <em> You grew up with me, were a boy with me or a girl with me,<br/></em> <em> I ate with you and slept with you, your body has become not yours only nor left my body mine only,<br/></em> <em> You give me the pleasure of your eyes, face, flesh, as we pass, you take of my beard, breast, hands, in return,<br/></em> <em> I am not to speak to you, I am to think of you when I sit alone or wake at night alone,</em><br/><em> I am to wait, I do not doubt I am to meet you again,</em><br/><em>I am to see to it that I do not lose you.</em></p><p>Will closed the cover.  Nico did not stir.  Carefully, Will set the book aside and lifted Nico off his shoulder to gently lay him down on the couch.  For a second, he couldn’t stop himself from just looking at him.  It wasn’t the first time he’d seen Nico sleep, but every other time he’d been confined to his bed with a fever.  Now Nico looked young and peaceful. </p><p>Will replaced the book on the shelf and found a spare blanket.  As he was draping it over Nico’s body, he heard the faint ring of the bell on the front door announcing his mother’s return, followed by the creak of her shoes on the stairs.  A moment later, she appeared in the doorway to the sitting room and silently watched Will adjust Nico’s blanket.</p><p>Will glanced away in embarrassment, but she didn’t question why Nico was still in the house.  She didn’t ask Will why his eyes were red.  Instead, she said, “Mr. di Angelo seems like a fine young man.”</p><p>Will bit his lip.  “He is,” he agreed.  “Very much so.”</p><p>He picked up their barely-touched glasses and brought them into the kitchen, his mother following behind him.  As Will cleaned up, she put her hand on his shoulder.</p><p>“Will...” she started. </p><p>“He’s so kind to me,” said Will.  “He’s gentle and patient, and he’s <em> good</em>, too.  When I’m with him, I feel things I’ve never felt before.  He makes me so happy.”</p><p>“Then why are you so sad?” Naomi asked.</p><p>Will folded his arms over his chest, curling over to make himself small like a child crying to their mother.  “I’m scared,” he said.  “I don’t just like him, Mama.  I think I’m falling in love with him.  I’m scared that it’s written all over my face and everyone will know.  I’m scared that what happened last time will happen again.  I’m scared because when he leaves, I’m going to end up with a broken heart.”</p><p>Naomi put her hands on Will’s arms and turned him to face her.  “Listen to me, Will,” she said.  “I hate seeing you hurt, but I can’t protect you from it—I can only be here to help you when it happens.  Let yourself be happy with him while you can, alright?  You deserve to be happy.”</p><p>“I’m going to get my heart broken,” Will said again.  “But I can’t give this up—not when he makes me feel this wonderful.”</p><p>Naomi pulled Will into her warm arms.  “I know, sweetheart.  I know.  I’m going to be here for you, alright?  You won’t be alone.”</p><p>Will hid his face in the shoulder of his mother’s dress, and slowly, silently, the tears in his eyes finally began to fall.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for taking so long! You guys have been so sweet and understanding about the wait and honestly I am so lucky to have such kind readers.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Nico saw a flash of blond hair outside his window at the inn one afternoon, he assumed it was either Will coming to call on him or Annabeth visiting Mrs. Jackson while Percy was on the ranch.  Either way, he left his room to greet them, but was disappointed and confused to find that it was not Will or Annabeth, but rather the Reverend Jason Grace, who had come to invite Nico out for drinks. </p><p>“Drinks,” Nico repeated.</p><p>“I was going out with some friends and I thought you could join us,” said Jason.</p><p>The reverend was inviting Nico out for drinks.  The <em> reverend </em> was inviting <em> Nico </em> out for <em> drinks</em>.</p><p>“Who are these friends?” Nico asked.</p><p>“The judge and the blacksmith,” Jason answered.</p><p>Now <em> that </em> was an odd combination of characters—a priest, a judge, a blacksmith, and an outlaw.</p><p>As a rule, Nico didn’t like priests.  He considered saying no, but then he thought about how disappointed Reyna and Thalia would be.  They were always badgering him about making friends.  And Jason <em> was </em> Thalia’s brother—maybe he wouldn’t be so bad.  Besides, if the meeting turned out to be completely horrible, Nico could always leave.</p><p><em> If he preaches at me even once, I’m gone, </em>Nico decided.</p><p>Jason and Nico passed Will’s clinic on the way to the saloon.  Although Nico couldn’t see through the windows with the afternoon sun reflecting on the glass, he suspected Will was inside working.  He’d usually invite Nico over after their morning walk, but that day they’d returned to Will’s clinic to find a small crowd of people gathered outside waiting for him.</p><p>Nico would check in later in the evening to see if Will was available.  Lately, they’d tended to meet at Will’s house.  After accidentally falling asleep there last week, Nico had woken up the next morning mortified to find Will in the kitchen preparing breakfast for both Nico and his mother.  When Nico apologized for unexpectedly staying the night, Will had smiled at him and said he didn’t mind, but added that he’d have to come up with an explanation for Mrs. Jackson because she was probably worried.</p><p>Nico tore his eyes away from the clinic.  He needed to start being careful about how much time he spent with Will or else leaving could become hard.  Nico didn’t do long-term relationships—he wasn’t cut out for it.  He was a man who was only interested in other men and it wasn’t possible for two men to stay together long.  Besides, Nico wasn’t the sort of person that someone would want to settle down with.</p><p>He might have liked long-term with Will, though.  Will deserved something stable and maybe Nico wanted to give that to him.  But no—he couldn’t.  The reason Will had gone after Nico was because it <em> wouldn’t </em> be long-term.  Long-term scared Will.</p><p>Relationships in general scared Will, actually.  Even though Will had been the one to initiate their relationship and even though he was usually the one to invite Nico out, Will had seemed terrified from the beginning.  And it wasn’t just fear of discovery, either; Will was afraid of <em> Nico</em>.  He was afraid that Nico would hurt him.</p><p>Nico didn’t want Will to be afraid of him.  He would <em>never</em> hurt Will.  That was why he’d have to leave Ladon Creek; the longer Nico let their relationship last, the more likely it was to end in tragedy.  Either someone would find out about them or they’d grow so close that leaving each other would become painful.</p><p>Will <em> wanted </em> Nico to leave.  Not right away, of course, but he didn’t want their relationship to last forever.  After all, Will didn’t like Nico as much as Nico liked Will.  Nico had a tendency to get attached to things—he knew himself well enough to admit that.  He’d been wearing the same duster for almost ten years, he carried around useless memorabilia like an old ring that no longer fit, and he’d almost cried when he thought he’d lost a photograph of his mother last year.  That was why Nico never stayed in one place or with one person too long—if he stayed, he’d get attached, and getting attached was dangerous.</p><p>Besides, Nico didn’t belong in Ladon Creek.  What would he do, take up Hazel on her offer to employ him at the mine?  All Nico knew how to do was steal cattle and rob banks and he was handy with a gun.</p><p>Nico forced himself out of his thoughts as Jason brought him to the saloon—the same one that Nico had visited with Will during their brief first outing.  The judge and the blacksmith were waiting outside and waved when they saw Jason approaching.</p><p>“You brought him!” said Leo.</p><p>Piper elbowed Leo in the ribs.  “I told you he’d be able to,” she said.  “He makes friends so easily.”</p><p><em> “Please </em> don’t scare him off,” Jason said.  “He barely agreed to join us.”</p><p>Nico frowned.  Had his hesitation really been that obvious?</p><p>“We haven’t officially met,” said Piper, holding her hand out to Nico.  “I’m Piper McLean, the judge here in Ladon Creek.”</p><p>Nico shook her hand, then Leo pushed his way in, offered his own hand, and said, “Leo Valdez, blacksmith.”</p><p>“Nico di Angelo,” Nico replied.</p><p>Jason put his hand on Nico’s shoulder and Nico forced himself not to push him off.  “Come on,” said Jason.  “I’ll buy your drink.”</p><p>Inside, Leo, Jason, and Piper took their seats at the bar like they went out together so regularly that they already had a favorite spot.  “I’ll take a whiskey,” Leo told the bartender, but before Dakota could pour it, Piper held up her hand to stop him.</p><p>“Are you going to the smithy after this?” she asked Leo.</p><p>“I just have to finish the horseshoes, why?”</p><p>Jason sighed.  “The last time you drank before going to work, you set the place on fire.”  </p><p>“And the time before that,” Piper added.</p><p>“And the time before that,” Jason said. </p><p>“We built it out of brick this time, though,” said Leo.</p><p>“You’d find a way to burn it down anyway,” said Piper.</p><p>Leo shrugged.  “Yeah, probably,” he admitted.  “I’ll take a sarsaparilla, then.”</p><p>Piper ordered the same, so Nico did, too, and Jason ordered a ginger ale.  While they drank, Piper told an animated story about her grandfather and Leo cracked jokes that made Jason and Piper laugh.  They spoke with the ease of people who had been friends for years.  It made Nico feel like an intruder—out of place and unsure of his role in the group—but they seemed like nice people and Nico didn’t completely hate being there. </p><p>When his ginger ale was half-empty, Jason sat back and looked at Nico in a way that made Nico tense in anticipation.  Then he said, “The truth is, we didn’t like you much at first, Mr. di Angelo.”</p><p>Piper cleared her throat.</p><p>“Alright, <em> Leo and I </em> didn’t like you much,” Jason amended.  “In my defense, I had heard that you’d killed a man.”</p><p>“Personally, I didn’t mind that you’d killed Lawrence,” Leo said.</p><p>Nico didn’t know for sure that he’d been the one to shoot the fatal bullet, but he didn’t interrupt to correct him.  </p><p>Leo reached over the bar and grabbed a stack of coasters.  “I’m glad Lawrence is dead.  I was more concerned by the authorities that might be following you.”</p><p>“But the Hunters said I’m not being followed,” said Nico.</p><p>“Well, I know that <em> now,</em>” Leo said, balancing a couple coasters on their sides and stacking a third on top of them.  “I didn’t know it then.  We have to be careful who we trust.  Outsiders have been dangerous before.”</p><p>“I’m glad we were talked into giving you a chance,” Jason said.</p><p>Nico shrugged.  “Well, I’ve known the Hunters for a long time.  We work together sometimes.”</p><p>“I wasn’t talking about the Hunters, actually,” said Jason.  “It was Mrs. Jackson, Miss Levesque, and the doctor who spoke on your behalf at the town hall meeting last month.”</p><p>Nico raised his eyebrows.  “I didn’t know that.”</p><p>“They didn’t know you very well at the time, but they’d seen enough of your character to persuade us to give you a chance,” Jason said.  “If they hadn’t, the sheriff might have asked you to leave before Hunters could vouch for you when they arrived in town the next day.”</p><p>“But honestly, most of the town was already more than willing to let you stay,” Piper added.  “When they heard you might have had something to do with Lawrence’s death, they were ready to throw you a parade.”</p><p>The tower that Leo had been building suddenly toppled over, sending coasters skidding across the bar.  As he scrambled to gather them up again, he smiled sheepishly at the bartender, but Dakota just sighed and shook his head like this was a regular occurrence. </p><p>“You know, we were talking the other day about how close you’ve gotten to the doctor,” said Jason.</p><p>Nico’s heart leapt and started hammering in his chest, but he kept his outward expression unchanged.  When people started talking, bad things happened.  While Nico could pack his things and leave before anything happened to him, Will didn’t have that luxury.  Ladon Creek was Will’s home.</p><p>“It’s good to see him making friends,” Jason said, and Nico relaxed a little bit.  “He doesn’t really have any.”</p><p>Nico frowned.  “Doesn’t he?” he asked.  “Everyone seems to like him.  I thought he was rather popular.”</p><p>“He is,” said Leo, who was working on the base of his second coaster tower.</p><p>“Everyone knows Will,” said Piper.  “He’s very kind and well-liked, and he’s certainly <em> friendly</em>, but he doesn’t have <em> friends</em>.”</p><p>“He’s a private man,” Jason said.  “He keeps to himself.  He’ll join us if we invite him, but I don’t think I’ve ever known him to seek someone out on his own.”</p><p>“No one knows much about him,” Leo said.  </p><p>“But it’s not that he’s a <em> total </em> mystery,” Piper added.  “His mother has lots of friends and talks about him often.”</p><p>“Right,” Leo agreed as he started on the tower’s second level.  “It’s just that whenever you talk to him, he asks you questions about yourself and doesn’t give you a chance to ask about him.  By the end of the conversation, you realize you’ve spent the entire time talking about yourself.”</p><p>Nico hadn’t noticed that at all.  In the weeks that they’d been seeing each other, Will had told him plenty of stories about growing up in New York, about attending medical school, about the towns he’d lived in before moving to Ladon Creek, and even, just a few nights ago, about his ill-fated romance.</p><p>Nico didn’t say that, though.  Instead, he nodded as if in agreement and said, “That’s true.”  It was best that they didn’t realize how close he’d gotten to Will, especially if Will opened up to people so rarely.</p><p>Why had Will opened up to him, anyway?  Perhaps after being so secretive with the people of Ladon Creek over the year he’d lived there, Will had been desperate to open up to someone, and Nico, who wasn’t planning to stay in the town, was a safe option.  But maybe, just maybe, Will liked and trusted Nico a great deal more than Nico realized.</p><p>Nico had outright told Will that he liked him on a few occasions, but Will had never said it back.  That, among other details, was why Nico had assumed that Will wasn’t as fond of Nico as Nico was of Will.  But perhaps Will had been expressing affection in a different way.  He’d opened up to Nico—that was a signal of trust, especially if it came from someone who was normally so private.</p><p>That meant that Will liked Nico.  He liked Nico <em> a lot</em>. </p><p>But Nico hadn’t told Will much about himself—at least, not to the degree that Will had.  If Nico had been discouraged by Will not returning his occasional remarks of affection, perhaps Will felt discouraged that Nico hadn’t reciprocated his openness.</p><p>Nico should open up to Will more.  He should be vulnerable with Will and show Will that he trusted him.  That would make Will happy.</p><p>“I do worry how he’ll handle you leaving,” Jason said.  “He won’t tell anyone and he probably won’t show it, but I think he’ll be lonely.”</p><p>Nico once again tried not to react, but he couldn’t hold Jason’s eyes for long before he had to glance away.  He had thought that leaving Ladon Creek would spare Will from eventual pain—after all, if Nico was gone, Will couldn’t be caught in a romance with another man.  If Nico was gone, Will wouldn’t risk being hurt by a partner again.  But that had been ignorant of Nico.  He <em> was </em>going to hurt Will.  If Will truly liked Nico as much as Nico now suspected he did, saying goodbye would be hard.</p><p>“You should come back to visit from time to time,” Piper suggested.</p><p>“Maybe I should,” Nico said.  But that wouldn’t be fair to Will, either—he couldn’t expect Will to be alright with the uncertainty of never knowing when to expect Nico or whether Nico was safe.  That might be more cruel than ending things altogether.</p><p>But personally, Nico would still much rather say “until next time” than “goodbye.”  He supposed it all depended on what Will wanted.   </p><p>Leo’s tower fell over again, this time sending a glass careening to the floor.  The chatter in the saloon fell silent at the resulting crash.</p><p>“Leo Valdez!” shouted Dakota.  “That’s the <em> third </em> glass this week—”</p><p>“Time to go!” Piper announced, grabbing the collars of Leo and Nico’s shirts and yanking them out of the saloon behind her.  Jason remained behind to apologize and settle their tabs and by the time he’d emerged, Piper had already brought Nico and Leo to a second saloon.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I’m posting two chapters today! This fic keeps getting longer and longer than I expected it to.  Hopefully it’ll be done by the end of the year!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Will wasn’t surprised when Nico strolled into the clinic one afternoon and asked, “Do you have any visitors, Doctor?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Only you,” replied Will, watching Nico walk towards the window and pull the curtains shut.  When Nico approached his desk and leaned over, Will obliged him with a kiss. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you like to go out tonight?” Nico asked.  “I thought we could go to the parlor and play billiards.  Percy and some of his friends will be there.  We could join them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” said Will.  That was unexpected—they’d never purposely gone out with other people before, and Nico had always seemed awkward and uncomfortable around people other than Will and the Jacksons.  “Alright.  That sounds nice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But first,” Nico said, leaning a bit further over Will’s desk, “may I have another kiss, Doctor?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will obliged, then he fetched his coat and closed the clinic to follow Nico to the parlor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The group at the billiards parlor was larger than Will had expected—Percy and Annabeth were there, of course, as well as Leo Valdez, Reverend Grace, Justice McLean, Hazel Levesque, Mayor Zhang, and Grover Underwood, who worked on the farm near the ranch where Percy worked.  Rachel Dare was there, too, but Will didn’t see her at first because she was busy at the back of the parlor working on the mural she’d been painting for the better part of six months—every time she neared completion, she’d decide she wanted to do something different, then she’d paint over the whole thing and start again.  The current iteration of the mural depicted the barn on Meg McCaffrey’s farm, but the last one had been a mountain scene.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I like this one, Miss Dare,” Will said as he joined her at the back of the room.  “It might be my favorite so far.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve started experimenting with a new style that’s cropped up in Paris,” she said, wiping her hands on her paint-stained apron.  “Rather unconventional, isn’t it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” said Will, tilting his head to examine the thin brush strokes and the way the light of the painted sun reflected off the branches of the trees.  “It’s different.  I like it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy called Will over to join them at the billiards table and Nico passed Will a drink—non-alcoholic, of course.  Everyone in town abstained from alcohol out of respect when Percy or his mother were around.  Nico, who had stayed with the Jacksons for over a month, had figured that out quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They divided into two teams—Percy, Annabeth, Grover, Hazel, and Frank on one and Nico, Will, Leo, Piper, and Jason on the other.  Leo and Annabeth, who were the most skilled players by a considerable margin, were separated out of fairness.  But no one had accounted for how good Will was.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why is it that you’ve never joined us before, Doctor?” Piper asked.  “I had no idea you were so good at this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I used to play quite a bit when I was in medical school in New York,” Will explained.  He hadn’t played for several years and certainly didn’t have as much talent as Annabeth or Leo, but during medical school, Will had been well-known for his skill at billiards.  He’d just begun presenting as male and the sense freedom and belonging it offered had been new and exciting, so he’d gone out with other students fairly often.  Billiard parlors had been one of his favorite places to frequent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Frank took aim without looking behind him and nearly jabbed Jason in the gut with the butt of his cue, but Piper caught it just in time.  “Careful, Frank,” she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please don’t impale anyone with your cue, Mr. Mayor,” Leo added.  “It would surely hurt your reelection campaign.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Frank looked sheepish and mumbled an apology to the reverend while the others laughed, but Jason said, “It’s alright, Frank—we all know I have terrible luck with billiards.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leo and Piper howled and even Will laughed softly.  Nico smiled but looked around in confusion, not understanding the joke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I may have received a bit of a bump on the head from a stray ball last year,” Jason explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And it may have been my fault,” Percy added.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Percy and Jason can be a bit competitive and sometimes they get carried away,” Annabeth said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy scratched the back of his neck.  “I hit the ball a little too hard and….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leo knocked on Jason’s temple.  “Boom!  Right into the side of Jason’s head.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He was out cold for a few minutes,” said Hazel.  “Percy thought he’d killed him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not ashamed to admit I cried,” Percy said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Miss Chase was the only one who had the sense to fetch me while everyone else was busy panicking,” said Will.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In our defense,” Frank interjected, “you’d only moved in a week before and we weren’t used to having a doctor in town.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And when I got here, you were all in tears,” Will continued.  “Percy was on the floor cradling the reverend, Mr. Valdez was about to pass out from hyperventilating, the judge started screaming at me, the mayor and Mr. Underwood were bawling, Miss Levesque was in shock, and Miss Dare...was laughing, for some reason.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rachel shrugged.  “I knew he wasn’t dead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He was fine,” said Will.  “Just a minor concussion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The doctor didn’t tell us we were idiots, but he sure as hell was thinking it,” said Percy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I admit that there was a moment when I wondered what was wrong with this town,” Will said.  “It was certainly a memorable welcome.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone laughed, but Will noticed that Nico, more than looking amused, was beaming at Will like he was proud of him.  Will didn’t understand why.  He smiled back anyway and then quickly averted his eyes before anyone could think that he was looking at Nico a bit too long or with a bit too much affection.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the end of the evening, Will and Leo’s team had won every round and Annabeth looked so frustrated that Will found it amusing that she’d called out Percy and Jason on their competitiveness.  “You’re on my team next time, Doctor,” she told him as they left the parlor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will wondered if that was an invitation to join them again.  He’d always tended to avoid going out too much or getting to close to anyone in Ladon Creek, but this time, for some reason, he hoped it was. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Second chapter today!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After a long night of playing billiards, the group broke apart to head home.  Percy walked beside Will and Nico because the inn was in the same direction as the clinic.  As they approached Will’s home, Will met Nico’s eye and subtly tilted his head towards the clinic in a silent question.  Nico nodded back.</p><p>“I’m going to stop by the clinic before heading back to the inn for the night,” Nico told Percy.  “Dr. Solace wants to check on my leg.”</p><p>Percy frowned.  “I thought it was healing normally.  Is it bothering you?”</p><p>“No, it’s fine,” Nico assured.  “The doctor’s just being cautious.  I’ll see you in the morning?”</p><p>“Alright,” said Percy.  “Goodnight, Nico.  Goodnight, Doctor.”</p><p>They said their goodbyes and Will unlocked the clinic to let Nico inside.  The door clicked shut behind them as Will shrugged out of his overcoat, then he turned and kissed Nico, gently and softly.  He could feel Nico smiling against his lips.</p><p>When Nico stepped closer and slid one arm around Will’s waist, Will <em> wanted </em> to like it.  He certainly liked the <em> idea </em> of Nico holding him, but he couldn’t help stiffening, afraid that Nico would notice that he was softer than most men.  Will wished that he could relax and enjoy Nico holding him.  He wished he’d left his coat on for an extra layer of protection.  He wished that he didn’t have to be afraid all the time.</p><p>Nico released him.  “What’s wrong?” he asked.</p><p>“Nothing,” Will said.</p><p>“Are you sure?”</p><p>Will kissed Nico again to reassure him that he hadn’t done anything Will disliked.  “I was just surprised,” Will said.  “I’m still getting used to this.”</p><p>Nico smiled and kissed Will back.  “Did you like going out with everyone tonight?” he asked.  “I know it was a bit different from what we usually do.”</p><p>“I had a good time,” said Will.  “It was nice—I don’t do things like that very often.  But I like spending time alone with you, too.”</p><p>“So do I,” said Nico. </p><p>Will kissed Nico a fourth time, quickly and lightly.  “Come upstairs for a little while?” he asked. </p><p>“I’d like that,” Nico answered.</p><p>Upstairs, Nico left his coat by the door and followed behind Will as he went to hang his own coat in his room.  Nico had come over enough times for his presence in Will’s home to feel natural, so it took Will a moment to realize that Nico had never been in his bedroom before.  Will had been in Nico’s room on several occasions, but only as a doctor calling on a patient and never as Nico’s romantic partner.  This was different.  This was a <em> suitor </em> in Will’s bedroom, and Will wasn’t sure if he was completely comfortable with that. </p><p>On more than one occasion, Will had worried about what he’d do if Nico wanted to go further than kissing.  He figured that he’d say he wasn’t ready—which wasn’t a lie, but he’d still had to stare at his reflection in the mirror and practice saying the words “I’m not ready” over and over again before he was satisfied that he could say it without looking terrified or apologizing.  Will had nothing to apologize for and he was certain that Nico wouldn’t be upset with him.</p><p>Nico, however, hadn’t given any indication that he wanted anything else.  Will suspected that if he did, he wouldn’t initiate; he’d wait for Will to make the first move instead.  In the meantime, Nico seemed perfectly content with what they were already doing, and Will was glad.  He liked what they were doing, too.</p><p>So it was alright that Nico was in his room.  Nico was always attentive to what Will did and didn’t want.</p><p>“What’s this?” Nico asked.</p><p>Will turned around to see what Nico was referring to and found him looking at the framed medal hanging on the wall.</p><p>“It’s my father’s Medal of Honor,” Will answered.  “He earned it while serving as a surgeon in the Union army during the war.  He used to run onto the battlefield and drag wounded soldiers back so he could help them.”</p><p>“He did?” Nico asked.</p><p>“He didn’t talk about it much,” Will said.  “He didn’t see what he did as heroic—he was just acting on impulse.  For him, the war was a thing of horror, not honor.  I think he gave me his medal because he didn’t feel like he deserved it.”  Will stepped beside Nico and reached out to touch the gold-painted frame.  “I think he’s a hero, though.”</p><p>“You’re so proud of him,” said Nico.</p><p>“I am,” Will said.  “But I’ve never shown this to anyone before.”</p><p>“Why not?” Nico asked.</p><p>“I don’t know,” Will admitted.  “I just haven’t.”</p><p>“You ought to hang this on the wall of the clinic so that people can see it when they come in,” Nico suggested.  “Then you could tell them about him.”</p><p>“I suppose I could,” said Will.  “Maybe I will.”  Most people thought that his father had been killed in the war, so it would make sense for Will to have his Medal of Honor.  He didn’t have to tell anyone his parents were separated.</p><p>“You must miss him,” Nico said.  “It sounds like you were close.”</p><p>“Not always,” said Will.  “When I was young, my father helped provide monetary support for my mother and he visited us once or twice a year, but other than that, he didn’t take much interest in me.  Then the war happened.  The next time I saw him, he was a different person.  He seemed more sad and serious, and the way he looked at me had changed.  Later he told me that when he watched so many young people die, many of them unidentified, he couldn’t stop imagining how it would feel to see his own child on one of those cots, or to not even have a body to bury back home, or to live the rest of his life not knowing what had happened to his child.  After the war, he visited my mother and me almost every week.  He started taking more of an interest in my life and I could always tell how much he cared about me.  He made me want to become a doctor, too.”</p><p>And wanting to become a doctor had indirectly led to Will realizing he was a man.  Will’s father had tried to help him get into medical school, but at the time, Will had still been presenting as female and no schools would accept him.  A woman, they reasoned, could be a nurse, but not a doctor.  That was why Will began presenting as male at first.  His parents helped him take on a new identity and acquire the necessary documents, and it wasn't long before Will realized that he wasn’t just <em> dressing </em> as a man; he <em> was </em> a man.</p><p>Nico put his arm around Will’s waist and rested his head on Will’s shoulder.  “I wish I knew more about my father,” he said.  “He died when I was very young, before my family moved to America.  I don’t remember him at all.”</p><p>“Did your mother ever talk about him?” Will asked.</p><p>“Not often,” Nico answered.  “My sister told me that I shouldn’t ask because it made her sad.  Then our mother died when I was eight and my sister was ten and I never got the chance to talk to her about him.  Now that my sister is gone, I’m the only one left.”</p><p>“I didn’t realize you were so young when you lost both parents,” said Will.  “Where did you go?  Did you have anyone to care for you?”</p><p>Nico shook his head.  “We’d moved to New York a few years before, so we were alone and homeless in a new country.”</p><p>“What about orphan asylums?” Will asked.</p><p>“We were afraid of being separated,” Nico said.  “We’d already lost our family—we didn’t want to lose each other, too.  So the rest of my childhood, my sister took care of me.  She found work in a house nearby to provide for us.  We had help.  We lived in an Italian part of the city—a small, close-knit sort of community.  It was rather like Ladon Creek, actually.  Everyone looked out for each other.  It wasn’t easy for my sister and me, but the community always made sure we had food and a place to sleep on cold nights.  But that stopped when I was about fourteen.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>Nico let out a deep, tired sigh and shifted his head on Will’s shoulder.  “There was a boy,” he began, and Will felt his heart drop, immediately knowing what happened next.  “We were friends—had been for years, and as we grew older, our friendship changed.  He was my first love, my first kiss...and we were so young.  We understood that we had to hide, but I don’t think either of us realized exactly how dangerous what we were doing was.  At least, not until we were caught.”</p><p>Will lifted his hand to brush his fingers through Nico’s hair, hoping the touch would comfort him.  “And then?” he asked.</p><p>“The other boy was fine,” Nico said.  “He had his parents, and his parents had friends, and together they had a lot of sway in the community—far more than a young orphan like me.  So when his parents said that I had approached their son, that was the reality that the community accepted.  He was a victim, I was the perpetrator.  He never said anything against me—not while I was still there, at least.  He stayed quiet and hid behind his parents while I took the blame.”</p><p>“He <em> let </em> it happen?”</p><p>Will felt Nico shrug against him.  “It hurt at the time, but I don’t resent him for it anymore.  He knew what they were saying about me.  That was enough to scare anyone into silence.  Besides, there was nothing he could have said to help me—he only would have ruined his own life if he’d spoken up.  It was much better that only one of us was blamed.  He still had a chance at a normal life and I don’t begrudge him for taking it.”</p><p>“But it wasn’t fair to you,” said Will.</p><p>“Life will never be fair to people like us,” Nico said.  “I was actually lucky—I still had my sister.  She stayed with me through it all.  We left the city before I faced legal charges and moved west.”</p><p>“Nico, I’m so sorry,” Will whispered. </p><p>“Don’t be,” said Nico.  “Listen, Will—the other day, I realized that you’ve been so open and vulnerable with me.  You’ve trusted me with so much of yourself.  I’m telling you this because I wanted to share some of myself with you, too.”</p><p>Will swallowed, and then Nico lifted his head off Will’s shoulder and looked at him.  “Did I say something wrong?”</p><p>“What?” Will croaked.</p><p>Nico brushed his thumb over Will’s cheek just below his eye.  “You look like you’re going to cry.”</p><p>Will touched his eyelashes and found them wet.  “I’m sor— no, you didn’t say anything wrong,” he said, taking the hand Nico had against his cheek and holding it there.  “It’s just that...I feel so safe with you, but I’m also terrified and I feel so confused.”</p><p>“You feel safe with me?” Nico asked.  Something in his voice sounded disbelieving and awestruck.</p><p>“Of course I do,” Will answered.  He brought Nico’s hand to his lips and kissed it.  “You’re always so good to me.”</p><p>“No one’s ever felt safe with me before,” Nico whispered.</p><p>“I have a hard time believing that’s true,” he said.  “Maybe you seem wild and dangerous at first, but it doesn’t take much to see how good you are.”</p><p>Will saw a short flash of something between happiness and pain cross Nico’s expression, and then Nico took Will’s face in his hands and kissed him, deeper and harder than he usually did.  Before Will could react, Nico drew back and said, “Sorry—was that alright?”</p><p>“Yes,” Will said.  “Do it again.”</p><p>Nico did, and that time Will kissed back.  He tried to match Nico’s movements and passion, but he felt clumsy and obviously inexperienced.  Nico, however, either didn’t notice or didn’t mind, so Will relaxed against Nico’s lips and let himself get lost in the kiss.  He felt physically good all the way down to the tips of his toes.  He felt <em> wanted. </em>  He felt like Nico saw <em> all </em> of him—not just corporeally, but a deeper essence of who he was.  Nico saw him, Nico knew him, and Nico cared for him.  In that moment, Will thought he could tell Nico anything and Nico would still feel the same way.</p><p>Nico broke the kiss and pressed his lips to Will’s forehead instead.  “I feel safe with you, too,” he said.  “And this....” Nico gestured between them.  “This is new for me.”</p><p>“Feeling safe?”</p><p>“Yes, but also....”  Nico took Will’s hand and held it to his chest so Will could feel the heavy, rapid thud of his heart.  “I know you don’t have much experience.  The truth is, I don’t, either—not with something like <em> this</em>.  It hasn’t been like this since I was fourteen.”</p><p>Will swallowed.  “Are you scared?” he asked.</p><p>“Not of you,” Nico answered.  “Never of you.  But yes, I’m scared.”</p><p>Will’s fingers curled against Nico’s warm shirt.  He had never been in love before.  He’d <em> liked </em> people, certainly, but it had never gotten far enough for Will to really, truly fall for someone.  While presenting as female during his adolescent years, Will had been considered of “bad breeding” due to his mother being single.  That had warded off most potential suitors, and the rest had been driven away because they generally saw Will as “pretty but odd.”  He became more popular after his transition.  After one short, disastrous courtship, however, Will gave up on romance entirely.</p><p>But now, Will was falling hard and fast and it felt both terrifying and wonderful—and for Nico, it was exactly the same.  Nico had also been outed and forced to flee from his home.  Nico had also become wary of romance, slow to trust, and hesitant to open up.  Nico was scared and vulnerable just like Will, and even though neither of them had said it yet, Will knew that Nico was falling for him just as fast as he was falling for Nico.</p><p>Will recalled the thought he’d had during their kiss, when he’d felt that he could tell Nico anything—a moment of openness which in retrospect seemed terrifying, but not as terrifying as Will expected it to.  The last time he’d opened up had been traumatic, but last time hadn’t been like <em> this</em>.  Even now that the heat of the moment had passed, Will still believed that Nico would accept him and keep him safe if Will told him about his gender.</p><p>Will didn’t <em> need </em> to tell him.  Will wasn’t lying or deceiving Nico, he didn’t owe anyone that kind of vulnerability, and he wasn’t ready for anything further than kissing, so why would Nico need to know?  If he told Nico, it would be because he wanted to, not because he had to.</p><p>And Will was beginning to want to.  He wanted to open up and show all of himself to Nico.  He wanted Nico to know his history and his fears.  He wanted to be seen and loved and respected for who he was.</p><p>Will nearly kissed Nico again, ready to tell Nico how he felt, but then he heard his mother entering through the front door downstairs and he regretfully pulled away.</p><p>“I should get back to the inn,” Nico said, and Will nodded.  They left Will’s room and Nico grabbed his coat just as Will’s mother entered.</p><p>“Good evening, Mrs. Solace,” Nico greeted.  “I hope your day went well?”</p><p>“Yes, thank you, Mr. di Angelo,” she answered.  “But you don’t have to leave on my account.”</p><p>Nico shook his head and slipped his arms into his coat.  “Thank you, ma’am, but I’ve stayed late enough as it is.”</p><p>“I’ll walk you out,” Will said, hurrying to Nico’s side and opening the door to the stairs for him.</p><p>Nico smiled.  “Thank you, Doctor,” he said.</p><p>When the door closed behind them, Will took Nico’s hand and led him downstairs.  <em> I like you, </em> Will wanted to say.  The words were right there, at the top of his throat, waiting to be said, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak them into existence.  Nico had said them several times before.  Why couldn’t Will?</p><p>When they reached the front door, Will still hadn’t spoken and he still couldn’t bring himself too.  Instead, he took the lapels of Nico’s coat and kissed him, deeply but briefly, and mumbled, “Goodnight.”</p><p>“Goodnight,” Nico answered.</p><p>And he was gone.</p><p>Will stood in the empty clinic for another minute staring at the door Nico had disappeared through before finally going back upstairs.</p><p>“He’s such a polite young man,” Naomi said when Will entered.  “You know, we really ought to have him over for dinner one day before I leave for work.  I’d like to get to know him more.  Do you think he’d be alright with that?”</p><p>“I think he’d be surprised, but he’d like to.”</p><p>“What should we make?” Naomi asked.  “Chicken?  Maybe he prefers beef.  We could make a roast.  Has he mentioned any preferences?”</p><p>“Mama,” Will interrupted, “I’m thinking of telling him.”</p><p>Naomi paused.  “Are you sure?” she asked.</p><p>“I don’t know,” Will answered.  “Do you think it’s a bad idea?”</p><p>“Will,” Naomi said gently, taking his hands in hers.  “It doesn’t matter what I think.  This is about <em> you. </em> It’s your choice whether someone knows or not.”</p><p>“But do you think it’s <em>safe?” </em>Will asked.</p><p>“You know him better than I do,” said Naomi.  “You can guess how he’d react better than me.  I won’t lie—I’m worried.  I remember what happened last time.  But I also know it’s hard on you to be so secretive.  You’re so scared that haven’t had any romantic relationships or friendships in years.  You’re such a loving, social person and the way you’ve been living the past several years isn’t you.”</p><p>“I’m tired of being afraid all the time,” Will said.  “I’m tired of feeling like I have to hide.”</p><p>“I know,” said Naomi.</p><p>“I just want to be loved for who I am,” Will said.  “And if he can’t accept me, then...then he’s not the man I thought he was.”</p><p>Naomi brushed Will’s hair out of his eyes.  “That’s right.  If he can’t love you for who you are, then he doesn’t deserve you.”</p><p>“But if it does end up like last time....” Will began.</p><p>“Then we already know what to do,” said his mother.  “We’ll have a plan ready.  We’ve managed before.  We can do it again.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>You may have noticed that the predicted number of total chapters has increased yet again...I hope I can finish this before the year ends</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Will and his mother made a plan.  On the day that Will decided to tell Nico, Naomi would wait at home to make sure Will came back safely.  If it didn’t go well, Will would return as quickly as he could and Naomi would withdraw their savings from the bank.  They would have packed the necessities the day before, so Will would load two of the Jacksons’ horses with their belongings.  Once Naomi got home from the bank, they would leave.  Will would be heartbroken but safe.  He would recover.</p><p>“Where would you want to go?” Naomi had asked.  “We could travel eastward again.  The Wyoming territory was beautiful, wasn’t it?”</p><p>“Wyoming sounds lovely,” Will had answered, but he didn’t want to go to Wyoming.  He wanted to live in Ladon Creek.</p><p>In the morning, Will went to the Jackson’s inn to ask to borrow a horse.  “I’m going out to pick herbs to restock the pharmacy,” he explained.  “I’ll be back this afternoon.”</p><p>“You shouldn’t go by yourself,” said Mrs. Jackson.  “It could be dangerous out there.  What if you run into trouble and no one’s there to help you?  Mr. di Angelo, you should go with him.  I’ll pack you both something to eat in case you’re not back by dinner.”</p><p>Will tried not to react too eagerly.  He glanced at Nico, who was sitting at a nearby table having just finished his breakfast.  They had arranged for Nico to follow after Will left because Will didn’t want to draw too much attention by leaving together, but if Mrs. Jackson insisted on it, then Will supposed there was no harm.</p><p>“Yes, Mrs. Jackson,” Nico said, rising from the table.  “Give me a moment to get ready, Doctor.”</p><p>Mrs. Jackson disappeared into the kitchen and Nico to his room.  Nico came out a moment later wearing his boots, coat, and hat, and Mrs. Jackson emerged a little while after that with a basket of sandwiches for them to eat.  Will mounted his favorite pinto and Nico took his black mare, Maria, and Mrs. Jackson waved them off from the stable as they headed to the main road.</p><p>“I’ve never seen you armed before,” Nico commented.</p><p>Will’s hand subconsciously went to touch the revolver at his hip.  It was his mother’s—Will wasn’t a very good shot, so while they were traveling, Naomi was usually the one to handle the gun.  She’d given it to Will that morning and instructed him to use it if Nico tried to hurt him.</p><p>“Shoot him in the foot or hit him in the head with it hard enough to knock him out,” she’d said.  “Do whatever you have to do to get out of there safely.” </p><p>Naomi told him to use his speed to his advantage—Will was fast and Nico couldn’t run very well because of his injury.  She reminded him of weak spots to strike on the body if he couldn’t get away or reach his gun and how to free himself if he was being held against his will—things that Naomi had learned to protect herself as a woman working in entertainment and later passed on to Will.</p><p>Will didn’t think he would need to use any of those tactics.  He believed in Nico.  He trusted Nico.  But the fact was, Will had trusted the wrong person before.  He had to be prepared to protect himself.</p><p>“There are bears and wolves out there,” Will said.  “I’m not a very good shot, but the sound will scare them off if we accidentally stumble into their territory.”</p><p>Nico seemed to accept this explanation, and he didn’t speak again until they’d gotten far enough from town to be out of earshot.  Then he said, “I don’t think we have to worry much about people being suspicious of us.  Not yet, at least.”</p><p>“What makes you say that?”</p><p>“People like seeing us together,” Nico answered.  “Just now, Mrs. Jackson was probably trying to get us to spend time with each other.  The people in this town worry about you, you know.  They say you’re always by yourself.  They think you’re lonely.”</p><p>Will frowned.  Was that why people sometimes pestered him about getting married?  “I don’t see why that should worry them.” </p><p>Nico looked at Will curiously.  “Will,” he said, “do you not realize how fond of you this town is?”</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“I’ve never heard anybody say a bad word about you—everyone has something nice to say,” Nico explained.  “You’re a very likable sort of person and you’ve helped a lot of people since coming here.  Of course they’re fond of you.”</p><p>Will blinked.  “Oh,” he said, then he looked away.  “No, I didn’t realize that.”</p><p>In the past, Will hadn’t been very popular.  He was always the odd one out in any group, even in medical school when he started to make friends.  Will <em>wanted </em>friends; like his mother had said a few days ago, Will was naturally social and craved companionship, but other people had never seemed to enjoy Will’s company very much.  Maybe that was why Will hadn’t noticed anyone in Ladon Creek trying to be friends with him—he didn’t know what it looked like.  </p><p>“Is that why you’ve been inviting me out with other people lately?” Will asked.  They still spent time alone, but suddenly Nico had started bringing Will on friendly outings, as well.</p><p>“Yes,” Nico admitted, then he sighed.  “I sound like Reyna and Thalia.  They would laugh at me if they could hear us now.  I’m the same as you—I tend to keep to myself and don’t make friends easily.  Reyna and Thalia are always encouraging me to be more sociable.  It’s hard for me to find lasting friends because I travel so much, but you—you live in a wonderful town full of good, kind people.  Lots of them would love to get to know you more.  I thought you might, too.”</p><p>How ironic—people finally wanted to be friends with Will and now <em> Will </em> was the one who hadn’t been open to it.</p><p>“Have I overstepped?” Nico asked.</p><p>“No,” Will answered.  “Thank you for telling me.  I never noticed.”</p><p>If everything went well that day, Will vowed to get out of the clinic more often.  He had spent years hiding and living in fear; the only people he could talk to were his mother and his far-away father.  Will was tired of being alone and afraid.  He was tired of being cautious.  He was tired of pushing people away.</p><p>Farther down the river, Will and Nico dismounted.  Will had learned a bit of traditional medicine since he and his mother had started traveling west and he kept a notebook of drawings of medicinal herbs and their uses.  He flipped through the drawings to show Nico the herbs he was looking for and they searched together until midday.</p><p>While Will packed the herbs away on his horse, Nico took the basket of food Mrs. Jackson had prepared and then they settled together on the bank of the river to eat.  Nico leaned against Will’s side and Will let himself enjoy Nico’s warmth.  If things didn’t go well, it could be the last time he had the chance.</p><p>When they finished eating, Will forced himself to pull away.  “Nico,” he said, “there’s something I want to tell you.”</p><p>“What is it?” Nico asked.</p><p>Will took a deep breath.  Several times over the past decade, he had thought about how to put his gender and experiences into words.  He’d practiced and rehearsed explaining it, pretending that he was brave enough to open up to someone and that someone was good-hearted enough to accept him.  So when he’d decided to tell Nico, Will already had an idea what words he wanted to use.</p><p>“When I was born, the doctors who delivered me told my mother that I was female,” Will began.  “I spent my childhood dressing as a girl.  I was raised as a girl.  But...it never quite felt right.”</p><p>Nico said nothing and Will was too afraid to look at him.  He kept his eyes on the river and said, “When I was eighteen, I tried to go to school to become a doctor, but no schools would take me because they didn’t accept women.  So I took a new name, I changed the way I dressed, my parents helped me get the documents I needed, and I enrolled in school as a man.  At first, it began as a way to become a doctor, but over time, it became something else.  I felt comfortable in a way that I never had while presenting as female.  Something just <em>fit. </em> The discomfort and insecurity I’d felt my whole life was gone because I was never meant to be a woman.  And I like women—I respect women, I admire women...but I’m not one of them.  I was always supposed to be a man.”</p><p>Nico was still quiet.  Will’s fingers flexed towards the revolver at his hip, his heart hammering in his chest as he waited for Nico to speak.  His head felt dizzy and he was terrified he wouldn’t be fast enough to act if something went wrong.  What if he got to his feet to run away, but tripped on the rocky riverbank?  What if he was too disoriented to protect himself?  What if...?</p><p>“Will,” Nico said quietly.  “It’s alright.  Breathe.  I’m not going to hurt you and I would never tell anyone something that you told me in confidence.”</p><p>“Oh god,” Will whispered.  As he let out the breath he’d been holding, he felt tension flood out of his body and the waves of his impending panic rolled away.  His hand fell from his hip and his body slumped forward.</p><p>Then he realized that Nico was no longer touching him and that Nico had not said whether he still wanted to be with Will.  He had only said that Will was safe.  Will could almost hear Nico in his mind, saying, <em> “I won’t tell anyone, but we can’t be together anymore.” </em></p><p>Nico cleared his throat.  “Is it alright if I...?” he said, reaching for Will’s hand like he already knew what Will wanted—or maybe because he wanted the same thing.</p><p>Will nodded and Nico took his hand and entwined their fingers.  “Would you mind if I asked a few questions?” Nico asked.  “I want to make sure I understand what you are telling me.”</p><p>Will nodded again.</p><p>Nico squeezed his hand.  “So, you are a man.”</p><p>“Yes,” Will replied.  “I am a man.”</p><p>“But you were raised as a girl because you were born in a female body?”</p><p>Will hesitated.  “I prefer to say that I was declared female when I was born,” he said.  “I am a man and this body belongs to me, so it is a man’s body.  ‘Female’ is a term that other people forced on me.”</p><p>“Alright,” Nico said.  “I understand.”</p><p>Will swallowed.  “Are you alright with this?”</p><p>“Of course I am,” Nico said.  “It’s you.”</p><p>Will felt like his whole world came crashing down around him, walls and fortresses of caution and fear crumbling to dust.  <em> It’s you, </em> Nico had said.  Like he saw Will the way Will wanted to be seen.</p><p>Will almost kissed Nico then, but his body felt frozen with disbelief.  “You aren’t shocked?” he asked.</p><p>Nico sighed.  “I won’t lie—I’m surprised.  But I’m not <em> shocked. </em> I’ve spent most of my life traveling, so I’ve met many people and I’ve met someone similar to you before.”</p><p>Will’s heart thudded heavily in his chest—so heavily that the sound reverberated in his ears.  “There are other people like me?”</p><p>“You should ask the Hunters,” said Nico.  “They know more than I do.  But yes, there are certainly many people similar to you—maybe not exactly the same, but similar.  The person I’m talking about was thought to be male when she was born, but is now understood to be a woman.  She’s not far from here, actually.  She’s Kalapuya and lives in Grande Ronde.”</p><p>“There are other people like me,” Will whispered.</p><p>“Many people, I think,” said Nico.  “I’ve also met someone who is both male and female.  She—or he, depending on the day—switches between the two.”</p><p>Will swallowed.  He had stopped thinking of himself as an anomaly or a mistake a long time ago, but hearing that he wasn’t alone solidified that all over again.  There were other people in the world like him—or, at least, there were other people who didn’t quite fit into the strict categories that Will had always known.</p><p>“I thought I was the only one,” he said.</p><p>Nico reached out to Will, then hesitated.  “Would you like me to hold you?” he asked.</p><p>“Yes,” Will croaked.  “Please.”</p><p>Will leaned forward so that Nico wasn’t touching his chest and he pressed his cheek against Nico’s shoulder.  Nico felt warm and his hand in Will’s hair felt comforting.  “You’re shaking,” Nico said.</p><p>Will squeezed his eyes shut.  “I was so afraid,” he said. </p><p>Nico brushed his fingers through the hair at the nape of Will’s neck.  “Of course you were.”</p><p>“I was ready to leave town if it went wrong.”</p><p>“Leave town?” Nico asked.</p><p>“It’s happened before,” Will said, pulling away from Nico’s arms.  “Just like it happened to you.  I told you I once courted a woman, didn’t I?”</p><p>Nico’s expression fell.  <em>“Will,”</em> he whispered.</p><p>“I thought I should tell her,” Will explained.  “I thought I owed it to her.  I thought that she should know before our relationship got too far.  And I thought she would understand—maybe she wouldn’t want to be with me anymore, but she would understand.  But she didn’t.”</p><p>“And she told, didn’t she?”</p><p>“She told her brothers and they...they....”  Will stopped, swallowed, then continued.  “I had to move to a new home because they found out where I lived.  I assumed I’d be safe from them after that, but they found the clinic I worked at and they told my colleagues.  And then—”</p><p>Will choked.</p><p>And then his colleagues told other doctors, and then all of Will’s college friends knew, and suddenly Will wasn’t a doctor anymore—he was a medical anomaly, a confused woman suffering from hysteria, and he’d barely escaped the city before being forced into an asylum for the insane.</p><p>“I was terrified,” Will said.  “I was humiliated.  Everyone was talking about my body and discussing my anatomy.  It was like my body wasn’t just <em> mine </em> anymore.  And they wanted to...they were going to—”</p><p>Will choked again.  Nico squeezed his hand.</p><p>“You don’t have to say anything else,” Nico said.</p><p>“I was so afraid to tell you,” Will said.  “I didn’t know what you’d do.  I was prepared to protect myself if something went wrong.”</p><p>Nico glanced at the revolver at Will’s hip and Will avoided his eyes.  “My mother told me to do whatever I had to to come home safely,” he said.</p><p>For a moment, Nico looked shocked, but then he nodded firmly.  “Good,” he said.  “Your mother is one of the wisest, fiercest, most caring women I’ve ever met, and I’ve met a lot of wise, fierce, caring women.”</p><p>“I know,” said Will.  He was more grateful for his mother than anything else in the world.  “She’s always been there for me.”</p><p>Will glanced at the sky and noticed how far the sun had gotten.  He imagined Naomi sitting at home alone, watching the clock tick and glancing out the window every minute as she waited for Will to return.</p><p>“Oh god—my mother,” Will said.  “I have to get back to town before she makes herself sick with worry.”</p><p>“Will, wait,” Nico said, putting his hand on Will’s wrist before Will could get to his feet.  “We can leave in a moment, but there are a few things I need to tell you right now.”</p><p>An instinctive spike of fear set Will’s heart racing, but he quickly calmed it again and sat back down.</p><p>“You said that you told the woman you were courting about this because you felt like you owed it to her,” Nico said.  “I hope you know that you didn’t owe it to me.”</p><p>“Yes, I know,” Will said.  “That was a long time ago.  I told you because I wanted to.”</p><p>“And I am so honored that you did,” Nico said.  “Thank you for trusting me.  And I want you to know that this doesn’t change how I feel about you, except that I feel closer to you than before.”</p><p>Will surged forward and kissed Nico.  Nico made a surprised ‘hmph?’ against Will’s lips, but quickly cupped the back of Will’s head and kissed him back.  And that kiss, clumsy as it was, was the most wonderful one he’d ever shared with Nico because now Will knew for certain that Nico loved him.  Really, truly loved him—the real him and all of him.</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>In a turn of events that should surprise no one, the expected final chapter count has increased yet again...and by a lot this time. I probably won’t finish this fic by the end of the year. Oh well.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Nico and Will arrived back in Ladon Creek, they returned Mrs. Jackson’s basket and brought their horses to the stable, and then Will invited Nico to come home with him. </p><p>“Are you sure?” Nico asked.  “I thought you might want to be alone with your mother.”</p><p>“No,” said Will.  “I want you to come with me.”</p><p>Nico nodded and discreetly squeezed Will’s hand before following him down the street to the clinic.</p><p>Naomi was already halfway down the stairs when Will and Nico got through the door.  For a second, she just looked at Will, her brow tight with worry, but then Will smiled at her and she ran across the room to hug him.  She held him so tightly and for so long that Nico started to feel like he was encroaching on a private family moment, but then, when Naomi finally let Will go, she turned to Nico and hugged him, too.</p><p>Nico stood rigidly still, not sure what he should do.  He wasn’t used to motherly affection and didn’t know how to respond to it, but he was starting to love it because he got it from Mrs. Jackson all the time.  He loved it so much that he was afraid he’d get attached to it if he wasn’t careful.  Once he left Ladon Creek, there wouldn’t be anyone to mother him anymore.</p><p>Then Naomi turned towards Nico’s ear and whispered, “Thank you for taking care of my boy.”</p><p>Nico’s hesitance crumbled and he hugged Naomi back.  He wanted to promise her that he’d never, ever hurt her son.  He wanted to promise that he’d take care of Will forever.</p><p>But he couldn’t.  When Nico left town, Will would be heartbroken.</p><p>Naomi pulled back and turned her face away so quickly that Nico barely had a chance to see how red her eyes were.  </p><p>“Come upstairs,” she said.  “I’ll put on something hot to drink.  What do you take, Mr. di Angelo?  Coffee?  Tea?”</p><p>“Coffee, please,” Nico answered as he followed her and Will upstairs.  When he got inside, he stopped.  Just beside the door, a collection of bags sat waiting, packed and ready to leave in case the Solaces had needed to flee.  The top bag was still open and inside Nico saw two things: <em> Leaves of Grass </em> and Will’s father’s Medal of Honor.</p><p>Nico bit his lip.  He’d had to run from his home, too—quickly gathering what little he and his sister had owned and fleeing in the darkest part of the night.  Nico and Will had both been tortured, victimized, and cast out—Nico for who he loved, and Will for who he was.</p><p>In many ways, Will had it worse.  Will ran the risks of his assigned sex being discovered <em> and </em>of being caught with another man.  Will risked losing his home again and having his life uprooted again.  Nico only had to worry about one of those things.  At least Will hadn’t had to go through it when he was a child like Nico had.  At least Will had his mother and father to help him.</p><p>But Will’s childhood couldn’t have been easy, either.  What kind of effect did it have on the young mind, being told over and over that you’re one thing when you’re actually something else entirely?  What did it feel like to spend your childhood and adolescence knowing that something was wrong, but unable to figure out exactly what?</p><p>Naomi called Nico to the kitchen and he pulled himself together before joining them at the table for afternoon coffee.  Naomi and Will were happy.  They didn’t want to ruminate on the past.  Nico should be happy with them.</p><p>But a moment later, they heard the chime of the clinic’s bell downstairs announcing someone’s arrival and a voice called, “Doctor?  Are you in?”</p><p>Will got up.  “I’ll come back after I take care of this,” he promised as he left the table.  Through the kitchen’s open door, Nico saw Will pause at the entrance to the stairs, looking at the bags stacked beside it.  He reached down and picked up his father’s medal.  For a moment, he just looked at it, then he tucked it under his arm and brought it downstairs with him.</p><p>Nico smiled to himself, but said nothing.  Something about Will taking the medal to hang it in the clinic seemed resolute—a decisive willingness to open up or a declaration that he was finally ready to truly start making Ladon Creek his home.</p><p>Nico wondered how long it had been since Will had had a place where he felt like he could put down his roots.  He’d only lived in Ladon Creek for a year, but he’d said that he’d left New York “a long time ago.”  Where had Will gone after that?  How many times had he tried and failed to find a new home before arriving in Ladon Creek?</p><p>Nico glanced at the bags by the door again.  Will and Naomi had been prepared to leave—over prepared, even.  These were the moves of people who had experience with escaping dangerous situations.</p><p>Nico turned to Naomi, who was watching him over the rim of her coffee mug.  “You’ve had to run away more than once, haven’t you?” he asked.</p><p>Naomi set her coffee down on the table.  “Yes.”</p><p>“How many times?”</p><p>Naomi’s blue eyes flickered to the floor.  “Three,” she answered, looking back up at Nico.  “But only the first time was because someone found out about Will.  The other two were because of me.”</p><p>“What happened?” Nico asked, then he realized how intrusive that question was and he quickly added, “If you don’t mind telling me, of course.  I didn’t mean to be rude.”</p><p>Naomi smiled at him.  “It’s alright, Nico.  Do you mind if I use your first name?”</p><p>“Not at all,” Nico answered.</p><p>“Then you can call me Naomi,” she said.  “As for what happened...I think Will told you that his father and I never married, is that right?”</p><p>Nico nodded.</p><p>“It’s not easy being a single mother—especially one who had a child out of wedlock,” Naomi said.  “Fortunately, Will’s father helped us so we never struggled financially, but I was still a bit of a pariah.  And on top of that, I worked in a bar—not a very respectable job for a lady.  People talked.  Several landlords turned me away because they thought I’d bring gentlemen home and use their property for commercial purposes, if you understand my meaning.”</p><p>Naomi sighed.  “Will never saw any of this when he was growing up.  I didn’t let him.  It’s easy to hide in a big city like New York; the crowds let you be anonymous.  People didn’t recognize me on the streets and point fingers.  But out here in the west, things are different.  Towns are smaller and there aren’t crowds to hide in.  If people start talking, it won’t be long before everyone knows.”</p><p>“And that’s what happened to you?” Nico asked.</p><p>“Yes,” Naomi answered.  “After we left New York, we moved to a town in Illinois.  And Will...well, he didn’t know how hard it was for me.  It wasn’t his fault.”</p><p>“He told someone?”</p><p>“He felt so guilty afterwards,” Naomi said.  “I think he still does, even though I’ve said that I don’t blame him over and over again.  But yes, he told someone and things took a turn for the worse very quickly.  We moved within a month.”</p><p>“And the next place you lived?” Nico asked.  “Did someone find out about it again?”</p><p>“No,” said Naomi.  “After Illinois, we moved to the Dakota territory.  I still got looks and attracted a bit of gossip because of my line of work, but it wasn’t nearly as bad.  But...there was a man who made me feel unsafe.  He used to follow me around town.  It got to the point that Will had to walk me to work every day and pick me up at the end of my shift.  We always ran our errands together and Will never let me be alone.  I reported the man to the local authorities, but they didn’t take it seriously, even when Will went to the sheriff on my behalf and demanded he do something about it.  The man never actually did anything to hurt me, so the sheriff reasoned that it was just feminine overexcitement.  I worry that the problem would have escalated if we’d stayed, but I also didn’t want to force Will to move again.  Will didn’t care, though.  He insisted that we leave.  After what happened in Illinois, Will became especially sensitive to my well-being.  He does everything he can to make sure I’m safe and comfortable.”</p><p>“Just like you do for him,” Nico said.</p><p>Naomi looked Nico over quietly and for a second, Nico worried that he’d said something wrong.  Then Naomi nodded and said, “Yes.  I will always look out for him, and right now, I am so, so glad that he has you.  You make him happy.  You make him feel safe and cared for.  You’ve given Will something he thought he’d never have.  I know that you’re only passing through and that you’ll leave Ladon Creek one day, but please keep making him happy for as long as you can.  When the time comes for you to go, I’ll take care of him and make sure he’s alright.”</p><p>Nico’s heart throbbed painfully in his chest.  Naomi realized that Nico was going to break Will’s heart in the end, but she wanted this for Will anyway.  She knew that Will might never open up to anyone like this again for a long, long time.  She knew how likely Will was to get hurt if he opened up to the wrong person.  She knew that the world was structured in a way that specifically left her son out.  Naomi wanted Will to experience something good and normal—even if it was just this once, and even if it was with someone like Nico.</p><p>Nico reached across the table and squeezed Naomi’s hand.  “I will,” he promised.  He would give Will the best experience he possibly could, and when it was over, at least Nico would know that Will would be safe and taken care of.</p><p>A while later, the door downstairs chimed again, announcing the departure of Will’s patient, and Nico and Naomi heard Will returning up the stairs.  “Sorry for the wait,” he said when he entered.</p><p>“That’s alright, sweetheart,” Naomi said.  “Will you stay for supper, Nico?  I’m afraid I didn’t prepare to make anything, but we have bread from yesterday evening and salted pork.”</p><p>Naomi didn’t say why they only had day-old bread and preserved meat; she didn’t need to.  They’d been prepared for life on the road, but they knew now that their home was safe.  What they ate now didn’t matter because this supper would be a celebration regardless of what kind of food they had.</p><p>“I’d love to stay,” Nico answered.</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In the evening, Naomi left for her shift at the saloon and Will and Nico moved to sit more comfortably on the sofa in the other room.  Nico noticed that the bookshelf was still packed, as though the only thing Will had removed was <em> Leaves of Grass</em>—like he had decided that his books were too cumbersome to bring with him on his quick escape and had limited himself to one.  </p><p>“What did you and my mother talk about while I was downstairs?” Will asked, drawing Nico’s attention with his fingers dancing pleasantly in Nico’s hair.  “I hope she didn’t scare you too much.”</p><p>“No,” Nico assured.  “She told me why you left Illinois and Dakota.”</p><p>Will’s smile faded.  “Oh,” he said, his hand falling away from Nico’s head.</p><p>“I’d wondered whether you’d had to move more than once,” Nico explained, his eyes falling back on the full bookshelf.  “I got the feeling that you were used to running.”</p><p>Will nodded slowly.  “We’ve had a hard time the past several years,” he admitted.  “And what about you?  Have you had to run away more than once?”</p><p>“Yes,” answered Nico.  “I’ve been caught with other men once or twice in cities that I’ve visited.  And...well, I’ve tried settling down a few times, but it’s never worked out.”</p><p>“Why not?” Will asked.  “What happened?”</p><p>Nico sighed.  After he and Bianca left New York, they had lived and traveled together for years, jumping from town to town and state to state—just the two of them, a pair of siblings whose only allies were each other.  Nico had thought it would be that way forever.  If he had Bianca, he’d never be alone.</p><p>Then they met the Hunters in Oregon and Bianca decided to join them.  Nico suspected that she wanted to live her own life—she’d been taking care of her little brother since she was ten and had never had the chance to be a normal kid.  The Hunters offered her a freedom that she’d never known.  By that time, Nico was seventeen, so she thought he’d be capable of caring for himself.  She left him in a nice, small town with a job lined up at the farm, but....</p><p>“I just...don’t belong,” Nico said.</p><p>“So you’ve <em> never </em> had a place to live?” Will asked. </p><p>“I suppose not,” Nico answered.  “Not since my mother died.”</p><p>“That’s not right,” said Will.  “You should have a place to call home.  Everyone should.”</p><p>Will looked up at Nico through his lashes with a hopeful, sincere glow in his eyes.  And then Nico knew—he <em> knew </em> what Will was about to ask, but he still desperately hoped that he wouldn’t.</p><p>He didn’t want to tell Will no.</p><p>But Will cleared his throat and ran his thumb over the back of Nico’s wrist, and then he whispered, “What would you say if I asked you to stay?”</p><p>Nico felt his heart crumble in his chest.  He wished he could tell Will yes.  He wished he could give Will everything he deserved—a normal, stable relationship; a certain future.</p><p>But he couldn’t.</p><p>“Will,” Nico said quietly.  “We talked about this at the beginning.”</p><p>“I know, I know...but....”  Will shifted closer and their thighs touched.  “Things have changed since then, haven’t they?”</p><p>Yes, things had changed.  But—</p><p>“Not this,” Nico said.  “I can’t stay.”</p><p>“But <em> why?” </em></p><p>Nico sighed.  “I’ve tried settling down, Will.  I can’t do it.  I’m not meant to.  No one wants me in their town—people don’t trust me.  They <em> know </em> something is off about me.  I can’t connect with them.  I don’t belong.”</p><p>“But that’s not true at all,” said Will.  “You’ve connected with me, haven’t you?  And I’ve <em> seen </em> you connecting with other people.  Don’t you realize how quickly everyone in this town went from being suspicious of you to adoring you?”</p><p>“Because you, Mrs. Jackson, and the Hunters vouched for me.”</p><p>“It doesn’t matter how it began,” said Will.  “What matters is that they <em> continued </em> trusting you.  You’ve been making friends here but you don’t realize it because you’ve been focusing on <em> me </em> and <em> my </em> friendships.  Nico, you told me earlier today that it’s easier for me to make friends than you because I live in one place, but it could be that way for you, too—if you’d just <em> stay.” </em></p><p>Nico shook his head.  “I can’t.”</p><p>“But you <em> can.” </em></p><p>“Please, Will,” Nico whispered.  “I <em> can’t.” </em></p><p>Will closed his mouth and looked away, his brow tight with frustration.  He looked like he wanted to argue more.  Nico couldn’t remember ever seeing Will angry before; he was usually so even-tempered apart from his anxiety.  But now Will was upset and angry—just because he wanted Nico to stay.  Because he <em> liked </em> Nico.  Because he didn’t want to say goodbye.</p><p>Neither did Nico.  And if Will wanted to be with him, then maybe....</p><p>Nico cleared his throat.  “What would you say if I asked you to leave with me?”</p><p>Will looked back up.  “Leave?” he repeated.</p><p>“We could go off together,” Nico said.  “We’d never stay anywhere long enough to get caught.  We’d be free.”</p><p>The frustration in Will’s eyes was replaced by sadness.  “No,” he said.  “I want to belong somewhere and this town might be the one.  I think I’m meant to be here in Ladon Creek.  This is my <em>home</em>.  I can’t leave my mother or my clinic and all my patients.”</p><p>Nico wanted to cry.  He wanted to insist.  He wanted to beg for Will to leave with him so that they could stay together forever. </p><p>But he couldn’t.  That wouldn’t be fair to Will.  Will wanted a place to call home, not to be constantly on the move.  He wanted safe and steady, not danger and adventure.</p><p>And Nico couldn’t give him that.  That kind of normalcy wasn’t for Nico—he’d never fit in.  Even if he <em> could, </em>Nico and Will would get caught if he stayed.  It was bound to happen eventually; they couldn’t hide forever.  And when it happened, Nico would ruin Will’s life.  Will said it himself: he loved his job, his patients, and his city.  When they were caught, Will would lose all of it.</p><p>“But,” Will suddenly said, “if you asked me to leave with you, I’d <em> want </em>to say yes.”</p><p>“And if you asked me to stay, I’d want to say yes, too,” Nico answered.</p><p>Will bit his lip and looked at Nico’s hands.  “Maybe after you go, you could come back to visit every now and then,” he said.  “Maybe we don’t have to say goodbye forever.”</p><p>“Is that really what you want?” Nico asked.  “That on-and-off relationship?  You deserve better than that.  You deserve something stable.”</p><p>“It doesn’t matter if it’s not with you,” Will said, and he looked at Nico with wide, earnest blue eyes like he was expecting something—maybe for Nico to cave and agree that he’d stay or at least come back.</p><p>Nico glanced away.  He knew that Will was afraid of opening up again—and he was right to be.  If Will found himself with the wrong person, he’d be in very real danger.  Will already knew Nico was safe, so he was willing to settle.  It wouldn’t be as easy for Will to find partners as it was for Nico.</p><p>Not that Nico would start looking for another partner for a long, long time.  If he didn’t feel what he felt for Will, then what was the point?</p><p>Eventually, Will looked away like he’d given up on Nico giving him the answer he wanted.</p><p>“If you don’t have a place to call home, you should at least have a place you feel welcome,” he continued, now focused on tugging a stray thread on the couch rather than looking at Nico.  “Have somebody to come back to.  A place you know you’re safe.  Ladon Creek could be that for you.”</p><p>Nico wasn’t sure if that was a good idea.  Maybe it was for the best that when he left, he left for good.  A clean, clear break—let it be a happy memory without complicating it.</p><p>But at the same point, Nico wasn’t sure if he’d be able to stay away.</p><p>Nico put his hand on top of Will’s nervously fidgeting fingers.  “Whatever happens, I promise I’ll make this as wonderful for you as I can.”</p><p>Will looked up and frowned at him.  “What?”</p><p>“Just...you’ve never had a good experience before,” Nico said.  “I want to give you one.”</p><p>“Experience?” Will repeated.  “What are you talking about, Nico?  This isn’t an <em> experience. </em>  This is a <em> relationship. </em> It’s not something you give me—it’s something we <em> make.” </em></p><p>Nico swallowed.  His mouth felt dry.</p><p>Will’s brow furrowed.  “Isn’t it?” he asked weakly.</p><p>“Yeah,” Nico croaked.  “Yes, I....”  He leaned forward and reached out to hug Will, but stopped himself short, remembering that Will never seemed to like it when Nico embraced him that way.  “Sorry.  Is there another way I can...?”</p><p>“It’s alright,” Will said, and he hugged Nico.  “Right now, it’s alright.”</p><p>Nico put one hand in Will’s hair and wrapped the other arm around Will’s shoulders.  He didn’t know what to say, so he kissed Will’s temple instead.</p><p>When they let go, Will glanced out the window.  “You know,” he said.  “Autumn’s already started.  It’s going to get cold and soon it won’t be safe to travel alone.  You should stay here through winter.  Wait until it gets warm again.”</p><p>Nico looked down.  “I don’t know, Will.  I’m not sure—”</p><p>Will touched Nico’s cheek and lifted his head so that their eyes met.  “Nico,” he whispered.  <em> “Stay.” </em></p><p>Nico swallowed again.</p><p>“Okay.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next time Nico was invited out, Annabeth was the one to approach him.</p><p>“The Jacksons are hosting the other Jewish families in town for Shemini Atzeret,” Annabeth had said.  “I thought it might be nice for us to give them space to celebrate.  We ought to get together and spend the evening somewhere else.”</p><p>So just before sundown, Annabeth and Nico went out to eat supper together at one of the saloons.  Nico listened to her talk about how she wanted to rebuild Ladon Creek’s town hall.  “A small wooden building was fine when we’d just founded the town, but now the population has gotten large enough that we ought to think about upgrading it,” she said.  “It could be bigger and brick with Greek Revival columns.  I’d it love to have a clock tower, too.”</p><p>Later that night, Annabeth and Nico parted, but not before Annabeth invited Nico out again the next day.  “And in the afternoon, we can get everyone together to play billiards again,” she said.  “You should invite the doctor along.”</p><p>Nico couldn’t help thinking about what Will had said last week: “You’ve been making friends here but you don’t realize it because you’ve been focusing on me and my friendships.”  Annabeth almost always joined the Jacksons for dinner, so Nico knew her fairly well, but he’d never considered that she might enjoy being around him.  <em>Was</em> he making friends in Ladon Creek?</p><p>No, that couldn’t be right.  Nico hadn’t made friends since Reyna and Thalia, and he only had them because they’d been friends with his sister first.  Annabeth had invited Nico because she wanted the Jacksons to have time to celebrate the holiday without worrying about a guest.</p><p>When they went out to play billiards the next day, Nico sat at the bar nursing his drink while they waited for Will.  He watched the others talk and laugh without interfering, but he maintained a careful smile to show them he was enjoying himself so they didn’t have to worry about him.</p><p>Will, who had been busy with patients all day, was the last to arrive.  “Where’s Percy?” he asked Nico as he took off his overcoat and hung it over his arm.</p><p>“With his family,” Nico answered.  “It’s Shemini Atzeret.  Rachel is taking his place for the game.  What’ll you have?  Whiskey?”</p><p>“Yes, thank you,” Will said, and he reached for Nico’s glass and took a sip.</p><p>Nico glanced over his shoulder to see if anyone was looking, but it didn’t seem like they’d noticed.  “I meant I’d order you one,” he mumbled.</p><p>“I know what you meant,” Will said quietly, then he leaned forward and in a perfectly innocent tone, he whispered, “It’s been a long day and I’d very much like to kiss you, but for now this will have to do.”</p><p>Nico’s face went hot.  When had he become the sort of person who blushed at sharing his drink?  And when had Will gone from shy, meek, and inexperienced to this?</p><p>Probably around the same time he’d stopped being afraid of Nico.  In the week since telling Nico about his assigned sex, Will had gotten bolder and there was an ease to the way he conducted himself around Nico that hadn’t been there before.  The new confidence only made Will attractive in yet another way and it had Nico blushing like a smitten schoolboy.</p><p>“You can’t say things like that here,” Nico whispered back.  “How am I supposed to respond?”</p><p>“Exactly how you did,” Will answered, tapping his own cheek.  “Better calm yourself down before you turn around.  People will wonder what I said to get you so flushed.”</p><p>Nico’s hands flew to his face and covered his cheeks as Will ordered himself a shot of whiskey.  Love, he decided, had made him into an absolute fool.  He didn’t mind in the least.</p><p>Will joined the others when he got his drink, but Nico stayed at the bar nursing his glass until they called him to play his turn.</p><p>“The problem is, the Hunters were headed to the Washington Territory last we heard from them,” Hazel was saying while Nico took aim with his cue.  “They might not be back until after the new year and I’d rather not wait that long.”</p><p>Nico straightened back up as the balls clattered across the table.  “What’s this about?” he asked.</p><p>“Annabeth and I need to get some new mining samples to the assay office in the next town over,” Hazel answered.</p><p>“Why do you need the Hunters?”</p><p>“They usually provide an escort,” Hazel explained.</p><p>“Ah,” said Nico, nodding in understanding.  For a black woman like Hazel—and even for a white woman like Annabeth—traveling alone was dangerous.  It was safer to move in groups.</p><p>“I can escort you,” Nico offered, but then he quickly realized that Hazel and Annabeth still didn’t know him very well and probably didn’t trust him enough for that.  Inviting him to play billiards was a far cry from putting their safety in his hands.  “Of course, there’s only one of me, so it’s probably best to wait for better protection,” he added to give them a polite way to refuse.</p><p>But Hazel smiled and said, “Actually, it would make me feel a lot safer if you went with us.”</p><p>“But he’s right that it would be best to travel in a larger group,” Annabeth said.  “I’ll talk to Percy about joining us.”</p><p>“I’ll go, too,” said Piper.  “Ladon Creek has been quiet lately.  I’ve been hoping for a bit of excitement to come along.”</p><p>“Excellent,” said Hazel.  “Between the five of us, I think we’ll be safe.  I’ll start planning a trip for next week.”</p><p>When he looked to his side, Nico noticed that Will was beaming at him.</p><p>Later in the evening, they said their goodbyes.  Will and Nico continued down Ladon Creek’s main street towards the clinic and inn while the others headed to the residential area of town.  The road was dark and empty apart from the lights and sound spilling from the still-open saloons.  After glancing over his shoulder to make sure they were alone, Nico stepped closer to Will and discreetly took his hand.  Will squeezed it, but they both quickly took their hands back when they saw a trio emerge from a saloon ahead of them—Katie Gardner and Travis Stoll supporting a drunken Connor between them.</p><p>“Everything alright?” Will asked as they approached.</p><p>“He just had a little too much, Doctor,” Katie replied.  “We’re taking him home.”</p><p>Will lifted Connor’s chin and examined his eyes.  “Follow my fingers, Mr. Stoll,” he said, and lifted his hand to test Connor’s gaze.  After a moment, Will tutted and released Connor’s chin.  “Have him drink water and make sure he lays on his side, not his back,” he told Travis.</p><p>“Thank you, Doctor,” said Travis.  “Have a good evening.  You, too, Mr. di Angelo.”</p><p>Nico echoed his goodbye and they parted.  If they noticed that Nico was heading to the clinic instead of the inn, they didn’t say anything.</p><p>When the door to the clinic shut and the shade was drawn closed, Nico stepped behind Will and wrapped his arms around his waist.  Nico had asked about Will’s apparent discomfort with hugging last week and Will suggested that he might find being embraced from the side or from behind more enjoyable.  Nico had started doing that instead, and every single time, Will sighed and leaned into Nico’s arms.</p><p>Will put his hands on top of Nico’s and craned his neck back to meet Nico’s lips for a kiss.  For a moment, they stood in the entryway to the clinic, kissing and enjoying the static warmth of each other’s bodies.  When Will turned his face away, Nico kissed the back of his head before releasing him.</p><p>“So,” Will said, “It seems that you’re going on a bit of a trip next week.”</p><p>Nico wondered if he should have talked to Will before volunteering to escort Hazel and Annabeth, considering his promise to stay in Ladon Creek through winter.  Will didn’t seem upset in the least, though.  He leaned against his desk and smiled at Nico like he was proud—but of himself or of Nico, Nico wasn’t sure.</p><p>“I suppose I am,” Nico said.  “I’m coming back, though.  I told you I’d stay for winter.”</p><p>“I know,” said Will, his smile unwavering.</p><p>Nico shifted his weight.  “Why are you looking at me like that?”</p><p>Will shrugged.  “I’m just wondering how it is that you don’t see how much they like you.”</p><p>Nico frowned.  “What?”</p><p>“Hazel and the others.  They trust you.  They feel safe with you.  They like you, Nico.”</p><p>Nico shook his head.  “That’s just because...because....”</p><p>He trailed off, unsure what to say next.  True, they only trusted him because Reyna, Thalia, and the Hunters had vouched for him, but that didn’t make their trust any less significant.  What mattered was that they did trust him and, perhaps more importantly, they’d continued to trust him long after the Hunters had left.</p><p>“Huh,” Nico mused.  Fancy that.</p><p>Will reached out to Nico and grabbed the front of his coat to tug him closer.  Nico stumbled forward and caught himself on Will’s desk, his arms on either side of Will’s body, framing him and boxing him against it.  One of Will’s hands slid up Nico’s chest to cup the back of his neck.</p><p>Nico had never had something like this before.  He’d never been with someone who liked him as much as Will did.  It felt comforting, almost like how Nico felt when he was near Reyna and Thalia or like when his sister was still with him.  He felt like he wasn’t alone.  But there was also a giddiness and fantasy to it that Nico hadn’t felt since his childhood romance.  With Will, however, something was different—something was more mature and grown-up, more serious but also more thrilling.</p><p>Don’t get attached to this feeling, Nico told himself.  Don’t get used to this. </p><p>But the way Will was looking at him felt so good—his blue eyes bright in the darkness, his smile small but genuine.  He looked at Nico like he was something special.  It made Nico feel wanted. </p><p>The fear that had once been ever present in Will’s eyes was gone, resurfacing only occasionally.  He wasn’t afraid of Nico.  He trusted Nico.  With Nico, he let himself go.  Nico wanted to let himself go, too.</p><p>Don’t, Nico told himself.  He needed to remain grounded.  One of them had to resist getting swept up in this or else they’d be carried away and no one could guess where they’d land.</p><p>Will locked eyes with Nico, blue on brown.  “Nico,” he whispered.  “I....”</p><p>Then the clinic door’s bell rang as it opened behind Nico.  He turned his head, hoping to see Will’s mother coming home early from work, but there in the entrance, witnessing their embrace, stood Reverend Jason Grace.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I promise I’m not leaving you on this cliffhanger. The next chapter will be out in a few days.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>One Sunday at the age of fourteen, Nico sat next to Giovanni in the boys’ choir like he did every mass, their fingers secretly linked under the long white sleeves of their robes.  Nico had once hated being in the boys’ choir.  He’d hated having to stand or sit still for hour after boring hour, but he didn’t have a choice; after all, the church gave Nico and his sister a place to sleep at night and the least he could do to repay it was to sing in the choir.</p><p>Then Nico met Gianni and suddenly, mass and choir practice became Nico’s favorite parts of the week.</p><p>That Sunday, like most Sundays, Gianni met Nico’s eye and gave him a clandestine smile that had Nico blushing.  That Sunday, like most Sundays, Nico didn’t pay attention to the readings because that Sunday, like most Sundays, Gianni was the only thing on Nico’s mind.</p><p>But that Sunday, Gianni happened to listen to the homily.  His smile suddenly fell away and eyes turned to the priest, so Nico followed his gaze and listened.</p><p>The priest condemned the poet who had risen to fame in New York, denouncing his obscene writings and licentious lifestyle.  He spoke about Sodom and Gomorrah and about the laws clearly defined in Leviticus.  He warned the parishioners not to be tempted to read the poet’s work or follow his example.  It was the <em> crimen pessimum</em>—the most atrocious sin.</p><p>Gianni’s face had gone white and his hand slid away from Nico’s.  Nico wasn’t so worried, though.  After all, what he had with Gianni wasn’t the <em> crimen pessimum.  </em>What they had was beautiful.  Maybe people wouldn’t understand at first, but Nico was sure that if he and Gianni explained, everyone would realize that what they were doing was no sin at all.</p><p>“Andrà tutto bene,” Nico whispered.</p><p>Gianni smiled back at Nico, but didn’t take his hand again. </p><p><em> Andrà tutto bene, </em> Nico had promised.  <em> It’ll be alright. </em></p><p>But a few months later, it wasn’t.  And over a decade after that, there was another boy and another priest and the same foolish Nico who thought he could keep the person he loved safe.</p><p>He could still remember what it felt like when people found out about him and Gianni.  He remembered how it felt to have his sins branded on his face.  He remembered being cast out of the church, the place he thought he could always trust to show him and his sister charity.  He remembered spending that winter on the streets bundled up with his sister and shivering in the snow.</p><p>He couldn’t let Will be branded like that, too.</p><p>Jason stood in the clinic’s doorway, a drop of dark blood trickling down his hairline while Nico’s mind raced through his options.  Maybe the position of his body had hidden Will from Jason’s view.  Nico might be able to pretend he was embracing someone else—but no, Will was looking over Nico’s shoulder and Jason could see his face.</p><p>Should he threaten Jason?  He’d left his revolver and rifle locked in his room at the inn like he usually did when he walked the streets of Ladon Creek, but there was a sharp knife on the tray near Will’s desk that he could use to intimidate Jason into silence.</p><p>No, that wouldn’t work, either.  What was to keep Jason quiet after Nico left town?  He would have to constantly monitor the reverend.</p><p>The best option was to do exactly what he’d done with Gianni: take the blame.  Let Will be the victim that Jason heroically saved.  Nico would leave town and Will’s reputation would remain untarnished.</p><p>“Reverend,” Will stammered, releasing Nico’s coat and taking his hands away.  “This—this isn’t—”</p><p>Nico swallowed.  He should make it convincing.  He should make himself look as vile as possible, make it clear that Will was entirely innocent.  He should talk down to Will, make Will look afraid—</p><p>But he couldn’t.  Even if it was to save Will, he couldn’t hurt him.  Just considering it made Nico feel like breaking down into tears.</p><p>“It’s not Will’s fault,” Nico managed to say, turning around to face Jason while keeping Will hidden behind him.  His voice was weak and his words feeble, but hopefully it would be enough to convince Jason.</p><p>“Nico—” Will said, but Nico kept talking before Will could say something to incriminate himself.</p><p>“I started it,” he said.  “Will did nothing.  It was me—”</p><p>“Nico, stop it!” Will shouted, pushing Nico aside and stepping out from behind him.  When Nico met his eyes, he found them alight with fear and anger and sadness, and then he realized how foolishly he was acting.  He’d been trying to protect Will, but Will wouldn’t want to be the lone survivor.  Nico hadn’t stopped to consider how the guilt would weigh on Will’s conscience.  Will would never forgive himself if he walked free while Nico was labeled a criminal even though they were both guilty of the same transgression.</p><p>Jason stepped inside the clinic and shut the door behind himself, then he calmly asked, “Doctor, are you alright?”</p><p>“Yes,” Will answered.</p><p>“Was Mr. di Angelo hurting you in any way or forcing you to do something against your will?”</p><p>“No,” said Will.</p><p>“And Mr. di Angelo,” Jason said.  “Was the doctor hurting you or forcing you to do something against your will?”</p><p>Nico frowned.  “What?” he asked.</p><p>Jason repeated the question in the same soft voice and mild cadence as before.</p><p>“No,” Nico said. </p><p>“Then I didn’t see anything,” said Jason.</p><p>Nico’s hands trembled at his sides.  But Jason <em> had </em> seen.  He’d seen and now he could tell anyone.  He could tell <em> everyone. </em></p><p>“Reverend,” Will said shakily, “why don’t you take a seat and let me look at your head?”  He pointed to the exam table and turned away to gather supplies without waiting for an answer, and Jason obeyed his instructions.  Nico noticed Will’s hands quivering when he uncapped the alcohol and wet a cloth to disinfect Jason’s wound, but he didn’t say anything.  If Jason saw, he didn’t comment, either.  He sat still and quiet on the exam table except for a soft hiss at the initial burn of the alcohol on his broken skin.</p><p>Will cleared his throat.  “How did you get hurt?” he asked. </p><p>“I tripped on my way home,” Jason explained.  “Hit my head on the door handle.”</p><p>“Any dizziness or difficulty balancing?” Will asked.</p><p>“No.”</p><p>Will folded the cloth and set it aside.  “Did you have trouble walking here on your own?”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>Will tilted Jason’s head to examine his eyes in the light.  “Any nausea?”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“How many fingers is this?”</p><p>“Two.”</p><p>Will had Jason touch his own nose to check his coordination and tested his eyes by having him watch a moving pen.  Nico hovered nearby, wishing that he and Will had gone upstairs instead of staying in the clinic.  They could have moved into the back room.  They should have locked the door so that Jason would have had to knock before he entered.  If they’d been more careful, this wouldn’t have happened.</p><p>Nico should have known better.  He’d had been sneaking around with men for years and had plenty of experience with the consequences of being caught.  For Will, this was still new; he didn’t have the practice that Nico did.  Nico should have thought things through before letting Will kiss him where someone could walk in.  He should have insisted they go somewhere else first.  He should have checked the door.</p><p>Will cleared his throat as he reached for a healing ointment to apply to the cut on Jason’s head.  “About what you saw when you walked in,” he said.  “It may have looked a bit odd and I think you may have misunderstood the situation.”</p><p>“Doctor, I didn’t see anything,” Jason repeated, evenly and quietly, with his eyes locked on Will’s the whole time.  “If you say that it wasn’t what it looked like, then I believe you.  But if it <em> was </em>what it looked like, that’s alright, too.”</p><p>Nico’s eyes narrowed in suspicion and Will’s hands paused in applying the ointment, briefly but long enough for Jason to notice.  “What do you mean, alright?” Will asked hesitantly.</p><p>“I mean that as long as whatever I may have walked in on was consensual, then there is no problem,” Jason said.  “Love is a beautiful thing.”</p><p>“Love?” Nico repeated in shock.  “That’s not—we’re not—”</p><p>“We’re not?” Will asked softly.  There was a broken note in his tone—something hurt or afraid—and when Nico looked at him, he found Will’s eyes open and vulnerable. </p><p>A lump rose up in Nico’s throat.  He couldn’t speak.  What was he supposed to do, admit his feelings in front of Jason?  Lie to Will about how important he was to Nico?</p><p>Then Nico realized that Will had said <em> we, </em> not <em> you. </em> He’d included himself, as though....</p><p>As though....</p><p>“Listen,” Jason said gently.  “I will not hurt you.  I will not tell anyone what happened here tonight and I’m sorry that I invaded your privacy without invitation, even if it was accidental.  And I want you to know that you aren’t the only people in Ladon Creek who have, have had, or would like a partner of the same gender.”</p><p>“There are more of us?” Will asked.</p><p>“There are <em> many </em> of you, actually,” Jason said.  “I can’t give you any names without their permission, but I can assure you that they’re here.”</p><p>Nico wasn’t as surprised as Will—over the years, he’d gotten better at identifying whether people were like him.  He’d found that a town of Ladon Creek’s size would usually have at least a few.  He didn’t know who because he hadn’t been looking, but he’d assumed there were a couple more people like them in Ladon Creek.</p><p>But it was one thing for <em> Nico </em> to know how to ask and what signs to look for and another thing entirely for the <em> priest </em>to know.</p><p>And for Will, who’d lived in the town for a year but had very little experience with same-gender relationships, this must be a shock.  He knew some but not all of the usual cues and he wouldn’t have been aware of how widespread people like them actually were.  He’d only suspected that Nico was interested in him because Nico had been flagrantly and embarrassingly obvious about his attraction.</p><p>Nico narrowed his eyes at Jason.  “And why would you know about them?”</p><p>“I’m the reverend,” Jason said.  “People come to me for guidance every now and then.  Sometimes, people are afraid of what they feel and they need help sorting it out.  Over the years, a few members of the congregation have talked to me about their feelings for someone of the same gender, or their disinterest in people of the opposite gender, or their disinterest in either gender.  With their permission, I introduced them to each other.  They’ve started their own small community now.  I know that there are more than just the few that approached me, but I’m not sure who or how many.  They’re very protective of each other.”</p><p>“And you’re <em> alright </em> with that?” Will asked disbelievingly.</p><p>“I know what clergymen are like, Reverend,” Nico added.</p><p>“I won’t lie—I was taught horrible things about people like you in seminary,” Jason said.  “Something about what I was taught never quite sat right with me, but I wasn’t forced to really question it until a woman I was courting told me she wanted to end our relationship because she realized she could never love a man the way she loved other women.  I was shocked at first, but I cared about her very, very much, and more than anything, I wanted her to be happy and to be with someone she loved.  Mr. di Angelo, I apologize for the things my brothers and sisters in the clergy have done and I understand that you may never trust me, but if my word is worth anything, I promise that I will keep you and the doctor safe.  If you’d like, I can talk to my contact in the community so they can arrange to introduce you to the others.  Or, if you’d prefer, I can forget I saw anything and we’ll never speak of this again.  Or I can do both.”</p><p>Will glanced at Nico, unsure and nervous, but Nico didn’t know what to tell him.  He didn’t know if they could trust Jason.  He didn’t know if he could trust the “community” that Jason was talking about.  And, frankly, it didn’t matter what Nico thought because he wasn’t staying in Ladon Creek forever.  This was Will’s home; <em>Will</em> would decide how they moved forward.</p><p>“You don’t have to answer right now,” Jason said.  “I understand that you might need some time.  But I do encourage you to consider meeting with the others—it’s helped people in the past.”</p><p>Nico looked at Will, but Will was focused on the blood-spotted cloth in his hands.</p><p>Jason got to his feet.  “I think I’ve overstayed my welcome,” he said.  “Think about it and let me know what you decide.”</p><p>Will nodded and stepped aside to let Jason pass, so Nico followed suit.  But before Jason left the clinic, Nico called out to him.  “Reverend,” he said.</p><p>Jason turned.</p><p>“If you tell anyone....” Nico began, but he trailed off because, truth be told, he didn’t know <em> what </em> he’d do if Jason told anyone.</p><p>“God as my witness, I swear that I will not breathe a word about this to anyone without your clear permission,” Jason said.  “And if that oath doesn’t mean much to you, then maybe you’ll take more comfort in knowing that my sister would have me hung by my thumbs if I betrayed you.  She and Reyna are very fond of you, you know.  They asked me to keep an eye on you before they left because they were worried about you.  If you can’t trust <em> me</em>, then you can trust them to keep me in line.”</p><p>Nico had almost forgotten that Jason was Thalia’s brother.  He wondered if Jason knew that some of the Hunters preferred women or that most of the rest rejected romance altogether.  He didn’t ask, though.  If Jason didn’t know, then Nico shouldn’t be the one to tell him.</p><p>“Have a good evening, gentlemen,” said Jason, and he left without another word.</p><p>Will crossed the room and locked the door with a click.  The tick of the clinic’s clock sounded loud against the silence that followed.  Was Will angry at Nico?  Did Will blame him?  Nico shouldn’t have let them get caught.  He had experience with secret relationships; he should have known better than to embrace another man in an unlocked room open to the public.  What had he been thinking?  </p><p>“He won’t tell,” Will said, still facing the door.</p><p>Nico stepped closer to look at the side of Will’s face.  He didn’t seem angry.  Nervous and shaken, yes, but not angry.</p><p>“How can you be sure?” Nico asked.</p><p>“Didn’t you see his expression?” Will replied.  “There was no disgust, no outrage—surprise and sympathy, maybe, but nothing to suggest that he was judging us.”</p><p>“Then you trust him?”</p><p>“I think we can give him a chance, at least,” Will answered.</p><p>Nico pursed his lips and nodded.  A corner of his brain still whispered, <em> he’s a priest, you can’t trust priests, </em> but Nico <em> did </em> trust Will’s judgement.  He also trusted that Thalia would never forgive her brother if he hurt someone because he caught them kissing a person of the same gender.</p><p>“Did you mean what you said?” Will suddenly asked, still staring at the door. </p><p>“About what?”</p><p>Slowly, Will turned to Nico, meeting his gaze with steady, searching eyes, his features so still that his calm looked fabricated.  “You said that we weren’t in love,” he answered.  “When the reverend mentioned love, you refuted it.  Did you mean that?”</p><p>Nico swallowed, but his throat still felt dry.  His hands shook at his sides and a terrified voice in his mind screamed at him to deny the truth, to tell no one exactly how gone for Will he was, to protect himself and never let himself be seen in a position of vulnerability.</p><p>But <em> Will </em>had been vulnerable with Nico.  Will had been brave and trusted Nico time and time again.</p><p>“No,” Nico said.  “I didn’t mean it.”</p><p>“Then you....”</p><p>“I love you,” Nico answered.  “I love you like I’ve never loved anyone before.”</p><p>Will’s carefully poised expression broke into something else, his eyes soft with relief and beaming with joy.  “I love you, too—so, so much,” Will said, then he took Nico’s face in his hands and kissed him before Nico even had time to comprehend what Will had said.  </p><p>“You love me,” Nico said in quiet shock when Will pulled back.  He touched his own lips, still tingling from Will’s kiss.  “You really love me.”</p><p>“Didn’t you know?” Will asked.  “I thought I was being obvious.”</p><p>“I knew you <em> liked </em> me, but I didn’t...I wasn’t sure if....”</p><p>“How?  I just told you <em> last week </em> that I didn’t want to be with anyone except you.”</p><p>“What?” Nico asked.  “When?”</p><p>“You told me I ought to have a more stable relationship.  I said it didn’t matter if it wasn’t with you.”</p><p>Nico swallowed.  “I...I thought you meant you didn’t know who else you could trust,” he said, but as soon as the words were out, he realized just how ridiculous his answer sounded.  “Oh,” he whispered.  “I’ve been so foolish.  You...you really love me.”</p><p>“You’re not foolish—I just haven’t been clear enough,” said Will.  “I love you, Nico.  I want to be around you all the time and take care of you and see you happy.  You’re so compassionate and gentle—”</p><p>“Gentle?” Nico repeated.  He’d never been called gentle before.</p><p>“Yes, gentle.  I love the way you don’t seem to know how to act when people say hello to you on the street and I love that you try anyway.  I love that you talk to your horse like she’s your best friend.  I love how you glow when Mrs. Jackson dotes on you.  And I love the way you look at me.  I love how it makes me feel.  I love that you love me and that I can see it whenever I look in your eyes.  I just wish that you could see it in mine.”</p><p>“I do,” Nico said.  “I do see it.  I just didn’t know what it meant.”</p><p>“Then I’ll remind you as often as I have to,” Will said.  “I love you and I’m sorry I let you think otherwise.  I won’t let you doubt it again.”</p><p>Nico fell forward and rested his forehead on Will’s shoulder.  Will held him there, petting his hair and whispering over and over that he loved Nico while Nico whispered it back.</p><p>How was Nico ever supposed to leave Will now?  Nico wasn’t just in love with Will; Will loved Nico <em> back</em>.  How would Nico find the strength to walk away from that?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>btw everyone has religious trauma and they’re going to talk about it in the next couple chapters...just a heads up if that makes you uncomfortable.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nico woke up to the smell of bacon and the sound of sizzling on a frying pan.  That was his first clue that he wasn’t at the inn, because the Jacksons didn’t serve pork.  The second clue was the cramp in his neck that he’d acquired sleeping on the Solaces’ couch.</p><p>Nico rolled his neck to relieve the pressure as he sat up.  He used to be able to sleep outside on the rocky ground without feeling sore the next day.  He’d grown far too accustomed to sleeping in a comfortable bed over the past few months.</p><p>Nico got up and folded the blanket that had been draped over him.  This was the second time he’d fallen asleep and stayed at the Solaces’ home overnight without meaning to.  He was still wearing his clothes from the day before, including his shoes, which only made the situation more embarrassing.  What sort of person fell asleep on someone’s couch without invitation and didn’t even bother to take off their shoes?</p><p>Shaking his head, Nico set the blanket down on the arm of the couch and went into the kitchen where Will was standing at the stove making breakfast.</p><p>“Can I help?” Nico asked.</p><p>Will turned around and smiled when he saw Nico.  “Good morning,” he greeted.  “Could you fill the kettle?  The water’s just over there and the coffee’s in that jar.”</p><p>Nico nodded and did as Will asked, then put the kettle on the stove and kissed Will’s temple.  “Did you sleep on the couch all night, too?” he asked.  After Jason left the evening before, Will and Nico had gone upstairs and spent hours together on the couch—sometimes talking and sometimes in silence.  Nico hadn’t meant to fall asleep, but he always felt so at ease leaning against Will’s side and resting his head on Will’s shoulder.</p><p>“Not all night,” Will replied.  “I think I fell asleep around the same time as you, but I woke up when my mother got home and went to my room.  I thought about waking you but decided to let you sleep.”</p><p>Nico buried his face in the crook of Will’s neck.  “I’m sorry for intruding,” he mumbled in embarrassment.</p><p>Will reached up and stroked Nico’s hair.  “My mother and I don’t mind,” he said.  “You’ll have to tell the Jacksons that you spent the night in the clinic because your leg was bothering you, but I liked waking up this morning and seeing that you were still here.”</p><p>Nico responded only by burrowing further into Will’s neck.  How was he supposed to react when Will said things like that?   How could he possibly admit that he liked seeing Will when he woke up, too?</p><p>Will took the bacon and eggs off the stove.  “Could you plate everything and set the table while I wake up my mother?  The biscuits are in the basket and I already got out the plates and tableware.”</p><p>Nico begrudgingly let Will go.  “Okay.”</p><p>“Thank you, sweetheart,” said Will, then he turned around and kissed Nico’s cheek.  “I love you.”</p><p>Nico hadn’t finished choking over Will calling him ‘sweetheart’ before he’d added in the ‘I love you,’ and that, combined with the kiss to the cheek, felt like three punches to the gut in quick succession.  <em> Pleasant </em> punches, but punches nonetheless.  “I love you, too,” Nico answered, somewhat belatedly, but Will smiled and brushed his fingers through Nico’s hair before leaving the kitchen.</p><p>Nico covered his mouth and squeezed his eyes shut.  His face was on fire and he felt like screaming.  This was too much—<em>far </em> too much for Nico to handle.  How could he contain all the love building up inside him?  How could he deal with the fact that not only was he in love, but <em> loved </em> as well?  How had he managed to navigate through this when he was a teenager with a crush?</p><p>“I’m not cut out for this,” Nico whispered to himself as he turned around to get the table ready for breakfast.  His body wasn’t capable of holding so much love and receiving so much, too.  Maybe he had been able to do it as a teenager, but now?  He’d lived too many years on his own.  It had been too long since someone had loved him.  He didn’t know what to do.</p><p>But he wanted to find out.  He wanted to wrap himself up in Will’s love and to shower Will with his own.  And that was the most terrifying thing of all—the temptation to lose himself in all this and the unquestionable knowledge that if he wasn’t careful, he would give in.</p><p>Nico wasn’t meant to settle down and fall in love.  He would never fit in.  And, more importantly, the longer he stayed, the more danger he’d put Will in.  Someone had already found out about them.  What would happen if they tried to keep this up forever?</p><p>Nico’s hands shook as he laid out the tableware.  <em> Someone had already found out.  </em>Had that really happened last night?  It hadn’t all been a nightmare?  The town priest had actually walked in on them embracing?</p><p>And then left them in peace?</p><p>Was it really possible that he and Will were still safe?</p><p>The whistling of the kettle drew Nico’s attention, so he removed it from the fire.  He poured the coffee into the mugs that Will had set out, but he was still shaking and the hot coffee splashed on his hand.  He hissed and cursed under his breath, and before he could even think of what to do, Will had appeared back at his side.  He grabbed Nico’s arm and dunked his hand into the bucket of clean water on the counter.</p><p>“Are you okay?” Will asked.  “Should I get ointment from downstairs?”</p><p>“I’m fine,” Nico said.  “It was just a little splash.”</p><p>Will touched the side of Nico’s face.  “You’re trembling.”</p><p>Nico bit his lip and fought the urge to lean into Will’s palm.  “I’m fine,” he repeated.</p><p>“Nico...” Will said, and Nico could tell from the look in Will’s eyes that Will knew exactly what had him shaking.  Will rubbed his thumb over Nico’s cheekbone.  “It’ll be alright.”</p><p><em> Andrà tutto bene, </em>echoed a voice in Nico’s mind.</p><p>“Let’s have something to eat and then we’ll figure this out,” Will went on.  “Sit down.  I’ll finish pouring the coffee.”</p><p>Nico didn’t sit down.  Instead, he hovered nearby watching Will’s movements.  How was Will so calm?  Did he not understand the danger he was in?  He was so, so new to this—he didn’t realize exactly how bad it could get if someone found out.</p><p>Nico was still trembling and clutching his burned hand when Naomi entered the kitchen.  “Good morning, Nico,” she said.  She was wearing a wool tea gown with a modest neck and her hair looked neat, albeit not as elegant as usual.  Naomi always looked so effortlessly put together, even just after waking up or a long evening playing piano at the saloon.</p><p>“Good morning,” Nico answered.  He jolted involuntarily when Naomi started fixing the wrinkled collar of his shirt.</p><p>“Let me iron this while you wash up after breakfast,” she said.  Nico almost told her he could iron it himself, but her decisive tone left no room for argument.</p><p>Will came up behind them holding three mugs of coffee and ushered them to sit down and eat before the eggs got cold.  Nico was quiet while they ate, but Naomi filled the silence with pleasant chatter about the latest gossip she’d heard at work the night before.  Ellis Wakefield might be promoted to head of security at the bank.  Travis Stoll was going to propose to Katie Gardner again soon and Miranda had a feeling that she’d accept this time.  Drew Tanaka had purchased the spot where the old dry goods store had burned down and she was planning to open a tailor’s shop.</p><p>The Solace’s home had the same relaxed, welcoming atmosphere of the Jackson’s inn, only smaller and quieter.  The inn was a gathering place for friends and travelers and guests, while the Solace’s home was more private.  It seemed so jarringly <em> normal </em> to Nico, so homey and warm and plain in the best way possible.  When was the last time he’d been in a place like this?  Had he ever?</p><p>When she finished eating, Naomi crossed her tableware on her plate.  “So,” she said casually, as though they were in the middle of a conversation, “What are you going to do about the reverend?”</p><p>Nico was taken off-guard by the sudden question and he glanced at Will for help.</p><p>“I told her what happened while you were sleeping,” Will explained.</p><p>Nico swallowed and turned back to Will’s mother.  “Naomi, I’m so, so sorry,” he said.  “I should have been more careful.  I should have locked the door.  I—”</p><p>“Nico, stop,” Will interrupted.  “You did this last night, too—what were you thinking, trying to take the blame like that?”</p><p>“I was just trying to keep you safe,” Nico answered.  “If people think it’s my fault, there’s still a chance that everything could be normal for you.  This is <em> serious.” </em></p><p>“I know it’s serious,” Will said.  “I may be new to this, but that doesn’t mean I don’t understand the dangers.”</p><p>“I don’t think you do, Will.  You don’t know what it’s like when people find out.”</p><p>Will’s eyes hardened and went cold, and Nico realized his mistake immediately.  “Really, Nico?” Will said quietly.  “You think I don’t know what it’s like to be outed?”</p><p>Nico swallowed.  How could he have forgotten?  It <em>had</em> happened to Will.  Will knew what it was like to have his secrets spread around town like a virus.  Will knew what it was like to be whispered about in dark rooms because he was suddenly too scandalous to be mentioned in polite conversation.  Will knew what it was like to have people he thought he could trust turn against him.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Nico said, lowering his eyes and bowing his head.</p><p>“It’s fine,” Will answered.</p><p>It wasn’t fine.  Will’s eyes had turned to his plate, but Nico could tell from the stony lines on the side of his face that it wasn’t fine. </p><p>Naomi reached across the table and took Nico’s hand in one of her own and Will’s in the other.  “Nico, Will doesn’t want you to take the blame for what happened last night because there wasn’t a mistake to take the blame for.  What happened was an accident.  If the reverend goes back on his word to keep your secret safe, then <em> he </em>is the one who made a mistake, not either of you.”</p><p>Nico bit his lip.  “Yes, ma’am,” he said.</p><p>Naomi squeezed their hands before letting go.  “Now, that being said, I don’t think the reverend will tell anyone.”</p><p>“I don’t, either,” Will agreed.  “But Nico might have a hard time believing that.”</p><p>Nico clenched his fists, then laid his hands flat on the table.  “He’s a priest,” he explained.  “I...have bad experiences with priests.”</p><p>He didn’t elaborate, but Will and Naomi didn’t seem like they needed Nico to.  Nico was relieved; often, people weren’t so compassionate.  People insisted that he ought to attend service on Sunday and if Nico tried to explain that he’d had poor experiences in the past that made going to church uncomfortable for him, they’d only insist more.  “You should try again,” they’d say, and Nico often had to get quite rude in his refusal in order to shake them off.</p><p>But the Solaces both nodded and Naomi said, “I do, too.  I don’t go to church very often anymore and Will goes even less than I do.  When he does, it’s mostly just to keep me company.”</p><p>“After the things that priests have said to Mama, I’ll never choose to go for any reason other than to make sure she’s safe,” Will said.  “But I do like the reverend here.  He’s always thoughtful and welcoming and nonjudgmental, and he never makes me feel uncomfortable or pushes me to go to service more often.  He makes church...well, certainly not enjoyable, but tolerable.”</p><p>“Oh, I wouldn’t go at all if it weren’t for him,” Naomi agreed.  “He’s actually one of the few people in town who knows that Will’s father and I never married.  One evening while I was at work, he sat down with me during my break because he saw I was alone—we’d just moved in and I hadn’t made many friends yet.  He seemed so trustworthy and easy to talk to and I didn’t realize he was the reverend at the time, so I found myself chatting about Will and about raising him by myself.  He wasn’t scandalized at all.  He just listened and asked polite questions and he’s never told anyone what I said that night.  I know that it’s not the same, but that’s part of the reason I don’t think he’ll tell anyone about the two of you.”</p><p>“And he made a very good point about being Thalia’s brother last night,” Will pointed out.  “I don’t generally trust priests, either, but I think we can trust him, Nico.”</p><p>“Well, we’ll know soon enough,” Nico said doubtfully, glancing out the kitchen window where the sun had risen higher in the sky.  If Jason was going to tell, he’d do it that day.</p><p>“What do you think of what he said about the community of people like us?” Will asked.</p><p>“It’s believable,” Nico answered.  “I’ve been to several towns where people like us have formed secret groups.  Often, we find each other for friendship, not just for romantic companionship.  It’s nice to be around people who are like you.”</p><p>“I’ve heard of groups like that, too,” said Naomi.  “Will’s father is a member of a discreet gentlemen’s club in New York that gives men like you the chance to meet each other safely.”</p><p>“Pa <em> also </em> mentioned that a similar club was raided by police last year,” Will pointed out.  “It’s not always safe.”</p><p>“Groups can be dangerous,” Nico agreed.  “You’re more noticeable as a group than as a collection of individuals.  If someone catches you, they can force you to give names.”</p><p>“And I don’t want either of you to be in danger, but maybe it’s worth the risk,” said Naomi.  “I think this could be good for you, Will.  If something goes wrong, we’ll leave town and start over.  We’ve done it before.”</p><p>Nico nodded.  “I’ll keep you safe,” he said.  “If you run into trouble, I’ll get you out of town.  We’ll travel together until you find a new home.”  </p><p>Will looked down.  Nico knew that wasn’t what Will wanted to hear.  He wanted to hear that it was safe in Ladon Creek.  He wanted to stay.</p><p>“It’s up to you,” Nico said.  “Whatever you decide, I’ll go along with.”</p><p>Will frowned.  “You don’t have to follow me.  We don’t need to do the same thing.”</p><p>“Actually, Will, I think you do,” said Naomi.  “The two of you spend so much time together that if only one of you were to give the group your name, they’d probably be able to guess that you two are involved.”</p><p>“And this is your home, so it’s your choice,” said Nico.</p><p>Will took a deep breath.  “I love it here,” he said.  “I’m afraid of losing Ladon Creek if something goes wrong, but I also want to have friends like me.  I want to be part of something.  I’ve never had that before.”</p><p>“I think it would be good for you,” Naomi said.</p><p>“I think it’ll be good for Nico, too,” Will added, turning to face him.  “You said that it’s nice spending time with people who are like you, right?”</p><p>Nico felt a lump rise in his throat.  Would he ever get used to Will’s constant consideration?  “Yeah,” he croaked.  “I did.”</p><p>“We can meet them together,” Will said.  “I think they could make me feel like I belong somewhere and maybe...maybe they’ll do the same for you.”</p><p>The lump in Nico’s throat swelled even more, this time with guilt.  He knew Will wanted him to stay.  Will was going through so much effort to make Nico feel at home, but Nico would disappoint him in the end.  He should remind Will that he wasn’t staying.  He should set the record straight so that Will wouldn’t get his hopes up.</p><p>Instead, Nico just said, “Okay.”</p><p>It was an embarrassingly uncharismatic answer, but he couldn’t think of anything else to say.  Will seemed satisfied with Nico’s response, though, or maybe he was just glad that Nico hadn’t argued.</p><p>Nico cleared his throat, trying to recover even a little bit of composure.  “I can find the reverend while you’re working in the clinic today,” he offered.  “Let him know what you’ve decided.”</p><p>“I suspect he’ll need to hear it directly from Will, too,” said Naomi.  </p><p>“Invite him to come over this evening,” Will said.  “I’ll close up the clinic when he gets here.”</p><p>Nico nodded.  “Okay.”</p><p>“Do you want me to be there?” Naomi asked Will.  “I can leave for work late.”</p><p>“Thank you, but I think we can handle it,” Will answered, then he pushed back his chair and stood up.  “Unless there’s anything else we need to talk about first, I should go open the clinic,” he said.  “Nico?”</p><p>Nico shook his head.</p><p>“Alright,” Will said.  “Then I’ll see you this evening.”  Will kissed his mother’s temple, then Nico’s, and for a moment, Nico sat very still, carefully watching Naomi for her reaction to the kiss.  She didn’t seem bothered.  If anything, she looked happy to see Will being affectionate with someone.</p><p>How strange.  He’d never been able to kiss someone in front of their mother before.</p><p>By the time he’d recovered from the kiss, Will was already at the door to the stairs.  Nico quickly pushed back his chair.  “Will,” he said, hurrying to stop him before he walked out.  </p><p>Will turned to him, his brow wrinkled in concern.  “What’s wrong?” he asked. </p><p>“Nothing,” said Nico.  “I just wanted to apologize again for what I said earlier about you not understanding the dangers.  That was patronizing of me.  I’m sorry.  I didn’t consider that it happened to you, too.”</p><p>Will smiled and Nico heart swelled with relief—he’d made the right choice in approaching Will about it again.</p><p>“Thank you,” said Will.  “Just...don’t forget.”</p><p>“I won’t,” Nico promised.</p><p>Will touched Nico’s arm.  “And don’t try to shoulder the blame on your own again, alright?  I understand why you’re doing it, but I want you to stop.  I won’t let you take the fall like you did when you were younger.  You mean too much to me.”</p><p>Nico swallowed and nodded.  “Okay,” he agreed.</p><p>“If I’m with a patient when you leave, sneak out the back door.  I’ll see you this evening.”</p><p>“Have a good day,” Nico said.  Those words sounded so odd to his own ears, like he was seeing his husband off to work, but it also felt good and frighteningly natural.  Will’s eyes went soft with a smile and he kissed Nico’s cheek before leaving.</p><p>Nico could have stood there for hours obsessing over that chaste kiss, and he likely <em> would </em> have if he hadn’t heard the clatter of dishes in the kitchen.</p><p>“Let me help you, Naomi,” he said as he returned to the table.</p><p>“Thank you, dear,” Naomi said.</p><p>Nico’s chest throbbed at the word ‘dear’ the same way it had when Will called him ‘sweetheart.’  He ignored it.  He helped Naomi gather and wash the dishes in relative silence, and when they finished, Naomi thanked him again and said, “Now before you think about leaving, give me that shirt and go freshen up in the washroom.  We can’t have you walking out looking like you slept here in yesterday’s clothes.”</p><p>Nico obeyed her instructions without question—Naomi had the same motherly authority as Mrs. Jackson, leaving no room for refusal while still carrying an unmistakable message of care.  He couldn’t have said no if he wanted to.</p><p>Twenty minutes later, Nico stood at the door freshly washed and dressed, holding his coat over one arm while Naomi fiddled with his collar.</p><p>“The reverend should be in the church preparing for this Sunday,” said Naomi.  “You’ll find him there.”</p><p>Nico swallowed.  It had been a long, long time since he’d last stepped foot in a church.  </p><p>“I’ll try to get home early,” Naomi went on.  “Will you still be here?”</p><p>“I might be,” Nico said.  “The Jacksons are still celebrating the holidays and I’d like them to enjoy it without worrying over a guest.”</p><p>“Well, you’re welcome to stay as late as you like,” said Naomi.  “I hope I’ll see you again tonight.”</p><p>Nico nodded.  He hesitated with his hand on the door, then he turned back around.  “Naomi?”</p><p>“Yes, dear?”</p><p>Nico looked down at the coat he was holding instead of meeting her eyes.  “I...I love your son.  I really love him.  I just wanted you to know.”</p><p>Naomi reached out and touched Nico’s arm.  “He loves you, too.”</p><p>“Yeah,” said Nico.  “I know he does.”</p><p>Naomi smiled at him, then she leaned forward and kissed his cheek.  “Stay safe,” she said, but Nico barely heard her over his own jumbled thoughts.  His cheek tingled and Nico wanted to clap his hand over it, but he kept his arms still.</p><p>“Yes,” Nico said.  “Thank you.”</p><p>And he ducked out the door before he could break down in front of her.  When he heard voices downstairs indicating that Will was with a patient, he was almost relieved that he didn’t have to face Will.  He crept down the steps as quietly as possible and slipped out the back door without attracting attention.</p><p>Outside, Nico leaned against the building and touched his still-tingling cheek, where both Naomi and Will had kissed him that morning.  His upper arm throbbed where they’d both squeezed him and his heart pounded painfully in his chest like it was straining against a steel cage.</p><p>The way they’d touched him, with a kiss to the cheek and a gentle grip on his arm—those weren’t ordinary touches.  Or rather, they <em> were </em> ordinary; the regular sort of ordinary that didn’t exist for Nico.  Those were domestic, affectionate touches.  It was like they’d accepted him as a normal part of their home.  Like he wasn’t just a companion to Will; he was a <em> partner. </em> Like Naomi didn’t see Nico as her son’s friend; he was her son, too. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry I haven’t updated in a while. My mental health has been crap lately but don’t worry I’m fine! I’m just having a hard time doing stuff right now. Thank you for being patient!</p><p>I messed up a bit on the historical accuracy of Nico’s childhood.  The Italian community in East Harlem and the widespread anti-Italianism in America that I was envisioning didn’t really exist yet because the wave of Italian immigration happened around the 1880s.  I imagined this story taking place in the 1870s or early 1880s, meaning Nico would have been 14 during the 1860s.  So we’re going to pretend!  I just thought I’d let you know that we’re pretending.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nico leaned against the back wall of the clinic for a long time, hiding in the shadows and trying to compose himself.  He could hear the usual soft bustle of the town coming to life, but also voices and music coming from the Hakafot in front of the Jackson’s inn down the street.  He took a deep breath and counted the drum beats until he reached twenty, then he walked around the clinic and stepped onto the street.</p><p>The sun was bright and the morning air crisp and cool—other than the celebration outside the inn, it was an ordinary start to an ordinary day in Ladon Creek.  The only thing out of place was Nico, looking at the town with fresh eyes and wondering how much longer it would be safe for him and Will there.  Which people were part of the community Jason had mentioned?  Who would turn against them if they discovered their secrets?  How many people would resent them for who they loved?</p><p>Nico swallowed and headed towards the inn.  The Jacksons and some of the others noticed him approaching and waved in greeting before returning to dancing around the Chumash they used in place of a Sefer Torah.  Ladon Creek was home to several Jewish families, but it didn’t have a synagogue yet.  Nico wondered if they’d build one soon—Sally and Paul had once mentioned that they’d like to establish roots for their young daughter.  Regardless, they had already made a beautiful community for themselves.  Every time they met—be it dancing in the street or their weekly Shabbat gatherings at the inn—they looked so proud of who they were.</p><p>Not for the first time, Nico wished he could have something like that, too.</p><p>Mrs. Jackson stepped out of the circle where she’d been dancing between her son and husband and approached Nico.  “Good morning, Mr. di Angelo,” she greeted.  “I was worried when we couldn’t find you at breakfast.”</p><p>“My leg was bothering me and I ended up staying at the clinic overnight,” Nico lied.  “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”</p><p>“Oh, you poor dear,” Sally said, and Nico felt so guilty for lying to her that his mind didn’t start running amok over being called ‘dear’ like he usually did.  “Are you hungry?  There’s bread in the kitchen and you’re welcome to help yourself.”</p><p>“I had breakfast with the Solaces, but thank you,” Nico answered.  “Has Percy taken care of the horses already?”</p><p>“He fed them this morning,” Sally replied.  “They’re all in the corral now.”</p><p>“Tell him I’ll take care of them for the rest of the day,” Nico said.  “I was going to clean Maria’s hooves anyway, so it won’t be any trouble to do the others while I’m there.  I’ll check on them again tonight and put them back in the stables.  Enjoy the holiday, Mrs. Jackson.”</p><p>Mrs. Jackson patted Nico’s cheek and Nico, reminded of the tender affection that the Solaces had shown him that morning, almost threw himself into another frenzy over it.</p><p>“Thank you,” said Sally.  “I’ll tell the others you said so.”</p><p>Nico waved goodbye and walked around the inn to the corral behind it.  Maria was running alongside a palomino, but turned and trotted toward Nico when she noticed him at the gate.  “Hello, girl,” whispered Nico, stroking her mane as he entered the corral.  She followed behind him to the stable, where Nico retried a pick and brush, and she let Nico pick up her leg to clean her hooves.</p><p>Nico took his time, picking at the dirt gently until Maria snorted and started pulling away to tell him to hurry up.  It wasn’t that Nico was avoiding going to the church by himself to find Jason—he was just trying to help the Jacksons.  If it <em> happened </em> to take him all day to clean the horses’ hooves and muck out their stalls, it wouldn’t be on purpose.  He’d just go to the clinic and explain that he’d been too busy to go see Jason earlier, but now that Will was done taking care of patients, they might as well go see Jason together.</p><p>Nico sighed as he approached a pinto to clean his hooves.  There was no use lying to himself.  He was absolutely avoiding Jason.  </p><p>Nico didn’t have to do this.  He could go back to the clinic and tell Will he couldn’t.  He could explain that approaching a priest—especially alone and especially inside a church—was too much for him.  Will would understand.  No one was forcing Nico to do this.  No one had even <em> asked </em> him to.</p><p>Nico wasn’t doing this for Will, though.  He’d said that he’d talk to Jason so that Will could work at the clinic, but the truth was, he wasn’t doing this for Will.  He was doing this for himself.  Nico wanted to prove to himself that he was strong enough to face his fears.  He wouldn’t forget—he’d never forget—and he wasn’t going to forgive, either.  But maybe he could move forward.  Maybe he was strong enough to look his past in the eye and say, “I’m not afraid of you anymore.”</p><p>It was midday when Nico finished caring for the horses.  He went into the inn to change out of his sweaty shirt and glanced at himself in his mirror before leaving to find Jason.  His eyes betrayed his fear, so he glared at the mirror until he looked terrifying instead of terrified.  He couldn’t show how scared he felt.  He couldn’t be more vulnerable than he already was.</p><p>He wouldn’t be defenseless again.</p><p>Despite his travels, Nico had only been inside three churches in his life.  The first had been his childhood church in Italy, but he couldn’t remember anything about it except for flashes of wood and marble and stained glass.  After moving to America, he’d attended service with his mother and sister at a second church in New York.  They never set foot in the main sanctuary; the Italian service was always held in the basement because immigrants were considered too rough and coarse to worship in the main building.  A few years later, Nico and his family started worshiping in a third church—a new construction built by the Italian community in East Harlem so that they no longer had to congregate in basements.</p><p>That last church had offered Nico and Bianca shelter when their mother died.  It was where Nico met Gianni.  It was where Nico sang in the boy’s choir every Sunday and where held Gianni’s hand when no one was looking.  And it was where Nico had been cast out when people discovered that he loved another boy.</p><p>The church of Ladon Creek didn’t look like any of the ones Nico had been inside before, but it was typical for a town in the west—a small, one-room building with white paneled walls.  The inside only held several rows of pews and a pulpit.  The windows were plain but clean and the furnishings looked well cared for but not grand.  The church wasn’t imposingly beautiful like the ones of Nico’s childhood, with sweeping marble arches, stained windows depicting scenes from the Bible, and walls and ceilings painted with the likenesses of saints and angels; it was most similar to the humble basement where Nico had worshipped when his family first moved to America, except it was brightly lit by the afternoon sun rather than hidden underground like a secret.</p><p>And yet, despite its modesty, there was still something about it that seemed overwhelming or ominous.  Nico felt like a thousand eyes were trained on him, a thousand voices whispering, “what is <em> he </em> doing here?”</p><p>Nico almost forgot about the reverend entirely until he saw him reading on a pew at the front of the church.  Jason looked at him over his glasses.  He smiled, but it looked out of place to Nico.  A smile didn’t suit the church, with its sinister, oppressive air or its imaginary judgmental eyes.  It didn’t make sense against the whispers Nico could hear in his mind or the sneers of disgust that he could practically feel all around him.</p><p>“Hello, Mr. di Angelo,” Jason said, his voice sounding far away even though they were only a few feet apart.  “What can I do for you?”</p><p>Nico swallowed, glancing at the Bible in Jason’s hands.  “I...uh....” he started, then his eyes darted away to look at the other pews, the pulpit, the metal cross hanging on the back wall—</p><p>Nico felt like the air was crushing him, pressing him down, constricting him like a snake.  He could hear his own heart pounding in his chest, his pulse echoing it in his wrists and neck and temples and even his fingertips.</p><p>“What’s wrong?” Jason asked, and Nico realized he hadn’t answered his first question.</p><p>“Nothing,” Nico said.  “I just haven’t been in a church in a long time.  I came to talk about...about what we discussed last night.”</p><p>Jason frowned and set aside his Bible, then he got to his feet.  “Why don’t we go somewhere else?” he suggested.  “I live alone.  We can talk privately at my house.  Or if there’s another place you have in mind, we can go there.”</p><p>Nico swallowed and glanced around the room again.  Was he really that weak?  He couldn’t even stand in a church for one minute without shaking.  It had been over a decade and he <em> still </em> couldn’t manage it.</p><p>“Mr. di Angelo,” Jason said, now standing in front of Nico.  “Let’s leave.”</p><p>Nico shook his head.  “It’s fine here.”</p><p>“Listen,” Jason said gently.  “I want people to feel safe in this building, but the fact is, you <em> clearly </em> don’t.  You’re already doing something very brave by approaching me.  You don’t need to be brave <em> here.” </em></p><p>Nico looked at the cross on the back wall again, then he nodded.  “Okay,” he said softly.</p><p>“Let’s go to my house,” Jason said.  He touched Nico’s shoulder and Nico reflexively shook his hand off.  As soon as he realized what he’d done, he worried that he’d angered or insulted Jason, but Jason just clasped his hands behind his back and nodded to the door for Nico to leave first.</p><p>“This way,” Jason said outside the church doors, nodding down the street and leading Nico away.</p><p>Nico wasn’t new to panic; it had been a while since he’d last felt it assault him like it had in the church, but he still knew how to calm himself back down.  He counted his steps and synced them with his breathing—in for three steps, out for four.  He focused on the crunch of the dirt road under their shoes, the chirp of the birds that hadn’t yet migrated south for the year, and the soft timbre of distant voices on the street.  His pulse slowed and steadied.  His hands stopped shaking.</p><p>By the time they reached Jason’s home—a small, quaint, single-story cottage with white paneling, a shallow porch, and a little front garden—Nico had calmed down and was already starting to feel embarrassed for nearly having a breakdown in front of Jason.  He shoved the embarrassment away again, knowing it would only send him into another panic.</p><p>“Can I get you anything?” Jason asked as he let Nico inside.  “Coffee or tea?”</p><p>“I’m fine,” said Nico.</p><p>“Well, I’m going to make tea for myself, so you’re welcome to have some,” Jason said.  “Have a look around, if you’d like.  Make yourself comfortable.”</p><p>Nico nodded without saying anything while Jason went to the back of the room and lit the stove.  The inside of the house looked small, probably only two rooms; a main parlor with a single door leading to a second room in the back.  The walls were half-paneled with wood, half painted white.  Nico could see almost no wear on the cream fabric seats of the two armchairs and every surface was abnormally clean and plain.  In fact, if it hadn’t been for the fact that Jason had brought Nico there himself or the single photograph of Thalia on the windowsill, Nico wouldn’t have known who lived there.  The room offered no insights into its owner’s personality, no indication of his interests—the house was bare to the point that it was almost sad.  Nico didn’t feel like he’d been invited into someone’s home.  Even in Jason’s private space, Jason knew more about Nico’s personal life than Nico knew about Jason’s, and that made Nico feel very, very afraid.</p><p>Nico supposed he shouldn’t be surprised Jason’s house was like this.  The reverend had dinner with the Jacksons almost as frequently as Annabeth and Nico saw him around town so often that he had, in fact, wondered whether Jason ever went home on more than one occasion, and now he could see that Jason clearly didn’t spend much time there.  Jason was always social, but looking around his house, Nico didn’t get the feeling that he entertained guests often.  And if Jason didn’t invite people to his home often, maybe showing this to Nico was an act of reciprocating Nico’s vulnerability.</p><p>“How are the Jacksons?” Jason asked from the stove. </p><p>Nico looked over.  Jason was watching him, curiously but not uneasily or suspiciously.</p><p>“Well, I think,” Nico answered.  “I haven’t seen them since this morning.”</p><p>Jason nodded.  “I went by early today and wished them a happy holiday before everyone started arriving to celebrate,” he said.  “I don’t think you’d woken up yet.”</p><p>Nico probably <em>had</em> been awake, but he didn’t see a reason to mention that he’d actually spent the night at the Solace residence.</p><p>The kettle whistled, mercifully excusing Nico from having to think of a reply, and Jason turned back to the stove to pour the boiling water.  He stirred tea into two blue speckled enamel mugs and picked them up.  “Sit down,” he said, nodding to the plain armchairs, and once Nico was seated, he passed him one of the two mugs.  Nico recognized the smell of the steam curling off the surface.  It was the same type that Mrs. Jackson favored—a local blend with cinnamon and orange peel that was sold at one of the dry goods stores in town.</p><p>“You don’t have to drink it if you don’t want to,” Jason said, taking the seat next to Nico.  “It won’t offend me.”</p><p>Nico considered taking a sip to prove he didn’t have a problem accepting tea from Jason, but decided to wait.  Let Jason wonder whether Nico trusted him.  Let Jason think he had to prove himself.</p><p>“So,” said Jason.  “What did you want to talk about?”</p><p>Nico swallowed and shifted in his seat, but didn’t look at Jason.  “Will wants you to talk to your contact,” he said.</p><p>“And you?” Jason asked.</p><p>Nico glanced up and found Jason watching him with blue eyes so piercing that they reminded Nico of lightning.  “What?”</p><p>“Do you want me to talk to my contact?”</p><p>Nico tried to look away, but Jason’s eyes held his.  “Will wants you to,” he said.</p><p>“That’s not what I asked,” said Jason.</p><p>“Will and I have to do this together,” Nico explained.  “If only one of us meets with your contact, it won’t take much thinking for them to figure out the other is involved.  This isn’t my home; it’s Will’s.  Will decides.”</p><p>“That’s not what I asked, either,” said Jason.  “I asked if <em>you</em> <em>want</em> me to talk about you with my contact.”</p><p>Nico opened his mouth to reply, but no sound came out.  He averted his eyes and chewed on his lip for a moment, fingers curling against the mug in his hands, then he said, “I...don’t know.”</p><p>“Does it make you nervous?” Jason asked.</p><p>Nico looked back up at Jason and once again found himself trapped by his too-blue eyes.  “I’ve engaged with groups of people like me before,” he said.</p><p>“But I assume you’ve never had a priest introduce you to them.  That must make you very uneasy.”</p><p>Nico narrowed his eyes.  <em> Obviously </em> it made him uneasy, but he wasn’t going to admit that out loud.  Admitting that would be the same as admitting he was afraid of Jason, and <em> that </em> would only give Jason more power that Nico did not have.</p><p>“I know it’s hard to trust me,” said Jason.  “It’s not fair to you that I found out the way I did.  It never should have happened without your consent.  And it’s even worse because I’m an outsider and Thalia mentioned that you don’t care for priests.  I think I understand why that is now.”</p><p>“I have...bad experiences with people like you,” Nico heard himself admit, even though he didn’t mean to.  Embarrassed, Nico looked away and took a sip of his tea, having forgotten his resolution not to drink it.  He could still feel Jason’s patient, piercing eyes on him, and remembered Naomi saying that when she’d first met Jason, he had seemed so trustworthy and easy to talk to that she’d mentioned becoming a mother without marrying after only knowing Jason for a matter of minutes.</p><p>Nico didn’t trust people.  He was suspicious by nature and he hardly ever made friends.  Even with romantic companions—except Will—Nico didn’t open up or stay long.  Prior to arriving in Ladon Creek, the last friends that Nico had made had been the Hunters.</p><p>But the Hunters trusted Jason.  Naomi and Will trusted Jason.  Jason’s eyes were so clear and striking and earnest, and in that moment, Nico didn’t wonder why people put their faith in him. </p><p>“I grew up Catholic,” Nico said.  “When my mother died, the church gave my sister and me a place to live.  We ate there and slept there.  It provided us with shelter and safety when we had nothing.  The church was our home until the priest caught me with another boy when I was fourteen.”</p><p>After choir practice one day, Gianni and Nico had hidden in a shadowy alcove behind a statue of Mary.  They’d both had places to be—Gianni had recently gotten a job at a factory nearby and Nico had chores inside the church, but Gianni had a habit of arriving at the factory late after choir practice and Nico could usually avoid the paddle if he worked hard to make up for the time he lost shirking his duties while with Gianni.</p><p>That day, Gianni had been sitting on the ground with his back against the statue’s base and Nico had crawled over him to kiss his lips.  Nico could remember what Gianni’s fingers felt like gripping his waist while they kissed in the shadows of the church.  He could remember how exciting and new kissing still felt even though it was far from their first.  He could remember his own innocent, enraptured mind thinking <em> Gianni Gianni Gianni </em>and nothing else.</p><p>He and Gianni hadn’t heard the footsteps.  They’d been too lost in each other, too consumed by the pure, beautiful love blooming between them to realize they were about to be ripped apart forever.</p><p>“They threw me out in the snow,” Nico said.  “It was the middle of winter and your people left me in the streets to survive on my own.”</p><p>Nico hoped the pointed blame would make Jason feel guilty, but Jason nodded sadly and Nico didn’t find much pleasure from it.</p><p>“I still had my sister,” Nico mumbled softly, sinking back into his chair.  “We were so cold—so cold and alone.  We had nowhere to stay, no food, no money.  My sister lost her job because she didn’t stop associating with me.  I think the whole neighborhood was hoping we’d die by the end of winter.”</p><p>Nico shivered and adjusted his grip on his mug, stealing its warmth to protect himself against the sudden chill that ran through his bones.</p><p>“Don’t try to convince me to give it another chance,” Nico said.  “I don’t want to hear it.”</p><p>“Why would I do that?” Jason asked.  “Why would I force Christianity on you after everything that people have done to hurt you in its name?”</p><p>Nico frowned.  “Isn’t it your job to save my soul?” he asked.</p><p>“I don’t think your soul needs saving.”</p><p>Nico swallowed.</p><p>Jason hadn’t said, “I think your soul <em> can </em> be saved” or even, “I think your soul <em> will </em> be saved.”  No; Jason had said that Nico’s soul didn’t need to be saved.  There were no conditions.  Jason thought that Nico was already enough.</p><p>“Tell me more about the ‘community’ you mentioned last night,” Nico croaked.  “What exactly would you telling them about Will and me entail?”</p><p>“I <em> won’t </em> tell them about you and the doctor,” Jason corrected.  “I have a contact that I would speak to.  I would <em> only </em> talk to that person, and that person would not tell anyone else about you without your permission.  They would approach you and give you more information about the community.  From there, you’d choose what to do next.  If you change your mind and decide you don’t want anyone else to know about you, then you can back out and everything will end there.  Or if you do want to meet more people, my contact might arrange to introduce you to one or a few of the others.  It can be as slow and gradual as you want.  Me talking to my contact is just one small step in a process that you can halt or restart at any time.  They know how important discretion and consent are.”</p><p>Nico chewed his lip.  He wanted to give Jason permission to talk to his contact.  It would be so good for Will to belong to a group and to make friends with people like him.</p><p>But it wasn’t just Will.  <em>Nico </em> wanted to make friends and to feel like he belonged—and accepting that was terrifying.  It was so much easier to say that he wanted this because it was good for Will.  Admitting that it was good for himself, too?  That was hard.</p><p>It was the truth, though.  Nico couldn’t lie to himself.  He could fight against his own yearning, he could deny himself what he longed for, but he couldn’t lie about what he wanted.  Not anymore. </p><p>“I want you to talk to your contact about Will and I,” Nico whispered.</p><p>“Alright,” said Jason, softly and gently, and although Nico could tell that his answer had made Jason happy, he wasn’t too enthusiastic, like he sensed that Nico would have been frightened if he acted too eager.  “I still need to get the doctor’s permission directly.  We can go to the clinic to see if he’s available right now, if you want.”</p><p>Nico nodded, his fingers twitching against his blue mug.  “Reverend,” he said.  “If the wrong person finds out about this....”</p><p>“I won’t talk to anyone except my contact,” Jason promised.</p><p>“I know,” said Nico.  “But I won’t be in Ladon Creek forever and I don’t know what’ll happen after I leave.  If the wrong person finds out about Will, would you protect him?”</p><p>“Yes,” Jason said without even pausing to consider the question.  “I’d protect all of you.”</p><p>Nico frowned suspiciously.  “If you protect us, if you defend us, if you’re our ally—people might think that you’re one of us, too,” he pointed out.</p><p>“I realize that,” answered Jason.</p><p>“It could destroy your life.”</p><p>“I know,” Jason said.  “I’ve been prepared for that for a long time, Mr. di Angelo.”</p><p>Nico swallowed a lump in his throat.</p><p>“Nico,” he corrected.  “Call me Nico.”</p><p>Jason looked so happy that it scared Nico and he almost considered taking it back.</p><p>“And you can call me Jason,” the reverend said. </p><p>Nico nodded, lifted his mug to his lips, and finished his tea.</p><p>Not long after, Nico brought Jason to see Will.  Will hadn’t closed the clinic yet but he didn’t have any patients, so he brought Jason and Nico upstairs for privacy.  Jason talked Will through exactly what would happen just like he had with Nico, and when Will gave Jason his verbal consent, Jason said he would speak to his contact soon.</p><p>“They may wait to approach you until after Nico gets back from escorting Hazel and Annabeth to the assay office this week, but they shouldn’t take long,” Jason told them before he left.  “Have a good evening, Doctor.  You too, Nico.”</p><p>When Jason was gone, Will beamed at Nico.  He didn’t say anything, but Nico knew that Will was happy because he’d noticed Nico and Jason using each other’s given names.  Reyna and Thalia would have been proud of him if they were there.  Bianca would have been relieved that he was finally letting people in.</p><p>As for Nico: maybe he was also happy.  Maybe he was proud of himself.  And maybe he was a little bit relieved, too.</p>
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<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hellooo I just wanted to remind everyone that this fic includes a spoiler for  Tower of Nero in case anyone still hasn’t read it or has somehow managed to avoid spoilers for this long...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jason’s contact didn’t approach them before Nico left town a few days later.  Hazel, Annabeth, and Piper met Nico and Percy at the inn before sunrise, where Mrs. Jackson fed them breakfast and packed food for their journey.  Hazel had brought along the necessary ore samples and Percy prepared the horses, and after they’d all received goodbye kisses from Mrs. Jackson, they mounted their horses and left the inn.</p><p>They passed Will’s clinic on their way out of town.  Its windows were still dark in the early morning, but Nico wondered if Will was awake and watching them through the curtains.  His lips still tingled from the kiss Will had given him when they’d said goodbye the night before.  Their goodbye had been normal—a chaste kiss, a smile, and a little wave as Nico left—but it had felt different.  Nico had been with Will every day for months.  Now that he wouldn’t see him at all, even if it was only for a few days, he felt like something was missing.  </p><p>Nico shook his head and looked away from the clinic.  Separating himself from Will was good practice.  He couldn’t stay in Ladon Creek forever even if he wanted to.  Nico and Will would have to say goodbye eventually.  The more prepared they were, the easier it would be for both of them.</p><p>The terrain outside Ladon Creek was lightly wooded, with sparse gatherings of trees providing occasional shade from the sun and tall yellow grass that stretched for miles.  They rode along the river until about midday when it changed course away from the trail.  The others chatted and laughed as they traveled, but Nico trailed behind quietly and only spoke when spoken to.  When they stopped for a midday break to eat and let the horses drink, Nico took his food and lingered by the horses until Hazel called Nico over to join them.  Nico tried not to interfere with their conversation, but Hazel, ever polite, kept inviting him to speak up.  “What do you think, Mr. di Angelo?” she’d ask, or, “Did you know about this, Mr. di Angelo?”</p><p>They continued traveling until sunset, when they dismounted again to stop for the night.  Nico started a fire while Percy and Hazel tended to the horses and Piper and Annabeth set up camp.  When everyone gathered around the fire for supper, Nico thought he should leave them alone, but he stayed anyway.  Maybe they wouldn’t mind.  Hazel kept inviting him, so maybe his presence wasn’t bothering anyone.  He remained quiet at first, determined not to intrude or interrupt their conversation, but they were so warm and welcoming that he felt his hesitation almost start to melt away.  Hazel talked about the new branch of the mine and her concern that managing it would interfere with her wedding plans for next fall, and Percy and Annabeth reassured her that it was alright to put her plans on hold if it wasn’t the right time yet.</p><p>“We’ve been engaged for years, but it seems like something always gets in the way,” Annabeth said.  “First it was that we were busy building the town, then Percy wanted to wait until after his mother’s wedding, then my mother through a fit when she learned that I was planning to marry a man she hadn’t met yet, and last year we were so focused on Estelle that we barely even thought about getting married.”</p><p>“But it won’t be like that this time,” Percy said.  “Annabeth’s mother insists that we can’t have the wedding without her, but Annabeth bought her train tickets to travel from California to Oregon at the end of March, so now she has no excuse to cancel on us again.”</p><p>“And I told her that we are getting married at the beginning of April, whether she’s there or not,” Annabeth said.  “Will you still be in Ladon Creek then, Mr. di Angelo?”</p><p>Nico shook his head.  “I’d planned to leave at the end of winter.”</p><p>“Could you stay a little longer?” Percy asked.</p><p>“Or at least come back for a visit,” Annabeth added.  “We want you to be there.”</p><p>For a moment, Nico couldn’t speak, as though a hand had wrapped around his throat and squeezed.  “Okay,” he finally choked in a small, timid voice.  “I’ll be there.”</p><p>Because how could he possibly say no?  He was staying through winter anyway.  What difference was staying a little longer?</p><p>Later, they draped blankets over the horses and spread out their bedrolls around the fire’s dying embers.  Nico stayed up long after everyone else had fallen asleep.  His wounded leg hadn’t bothered him too badly for a while, but now it felt stiff and sore.  He supposed it must have been from riding all day, and sleeping on the hard ground certainly wasn’t helping.  Nico rolled over to relieve the pressure off his leg, but that didn’t alleviate the pain.  Sighing, he closed his eyes and resigned himself to a sleepless night.</p><p>Behind him, Nico heard a rustling as one of the others moved in their sleep.  He ignored it at first, but then he heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps and he rolled onto his back to see that Piper had gotten out of her bedroll.  She smiled at him and whispered, “Can’t sleep, either?  I’m going for a walk.  Want to join me?”</p><p>Nico blinked.  “I....”</p><p>Piper picked up the coat beside her bedroll and put it on.  “Come on,” she said, now ordering rather than inviting, and she jerked her head to gesture for Nico to follow.  Nico hesitated a second longer before grabbing his coat and scrambling out of his bedroll to go after her.  She led him away from the camp and into the tall grass.  Some of her hair had been pulled out of her braid, a few strands sticking to her cheek, and her blouse and the calf-length skirt she wore over her trousers were wrinkled.  For a long time, she didn’t speak, and Nico started to hope that they would spend the walk in silence.  But then—</p><p>“I’d hoped to get a moment alone with you at some point on this trip,” Piper said.</p><p>Nico tensed.  A judge wanting to talk to him was never a good thing.  “Is there a problem, Judge?” he asked.</p><p>“Just call me Piper,” she corrected with a note of amusement.  “We aren’t in the courtroom, Nico.”</p><p>“Piper,” Nico amended awkwardly.  “Why did you want to talk to me?”</p><p>“Jason said you wanted me to,” Piper said.  “I’m the contact he told you about.”</p><p>Nico halted in his tracks for a moment.  <em> “You?” </em>he asked, catching back up to Piper in a few quick strides.</p><p>“I was going to wait and talk to you and the doctor at the same time, but it seemed unfair to spend all this time traveling together when I knew about you but you didn’t know about me,” Piper said.  “I haven’t spoken to the doctor yet.  I haven’t spoken to anyone.  Right now, the only people who know are Jason and me.”</p><p>And Naomi, Nico added mentally, but he didn’t say that.</p><p>“What did Jason say, exactly?” he asked. </p><p>“He told me that he had two names for me,” Piper said.  “He didnt give me any other details, but I assumed that you and the doctor are in a relationship.  Is that right?”</p><p>Nico swallowed, for a moment reliving the terror and panic that had ripped through him when he turned around and saw the reverend in the entryway.</p><p>“We forgot to lock the door to the clinic,” Nico said.  “Jason walked in on us.”</p><p>Piper nodded, and in a quiet, soothing voice, she said, “That must have been frightening.”</p><p>Nico didn’t meet her eyes.  “He’s the reverend,” Nico answered simply.</p><p>“Which makes it even more frightening,” Piper said.  “Priests can be some of the most dangerous people for us.”</p><p>“And lawmen, Justice McLean,” Nico said, with a pointed glance in her direction.  “Usually people like us tend to hide from the law, not practice it.”</p><p>Piper laughed.  “Well, you don’t have to worry about me—if I got you in trouble, I’d have to throw myself in prison, too,” she said, and then, in a softer voice, “You don’t have to worry about Jason, either.  He’s an old friend.  We used to court a long time ago before I realized I wasn’t interested in men and he was the first person I ever told about my love for women.  Since then, he’s been the best friend I could ask for.  He has supported me, protected me...and he helped me build the community in Ladon Creek even though he gains nothing from it.  Jason is a good man.  I know that being discovered the way you were must have been terrifying, but he’ll keep you safe.  It’s not just Jason and I, either; the most powerful people in town are either one of us or they’re our allies.  That’s why Ladon Creek is safe for us.  We won’t let anyone hurt you or the doctor.”</p><p>Nico wasn’t afraid of Jason anymore, but he still found it hard to believe that he had <em>nothing</em> to be afraid of.  In his experience, people finding out about his relationships never ended well.  “Seems a little too good to be true that I can trust both the reverend <em>and</em> the judge.  Jason mentioned that you had a community in Ladon Creek.  I’ve met with groups like that before, but it’s been a while, and it’s always mostly herders and farm workers—never lawpeople, and certainly not priests.”</p><p>“Maybe we just feel a little safer reaching out in Ladon Creek,” Piper said.  “There are a lot of us—all different types of people.  We have gatherings every week or so.  It’s a good way to find friends and it’s nice to feel like you’re not the odd one out for a change.  We can also give you an idea of which people are safe to talk to and who you should stay away from.”</p><p>“Talk to?” Nico repeated.</p><p>“We have a lot of allies in Ladon Creek,” Piper explained.  “Everyone on this trip already knows about me—all my friends do.  I don’t associate with people who I can’t trust with my whole self.  You’re safe with everyone here.”</p><p>Nico glanced back at the three bodies sleeping around the low fire.  “Do they suspect about Will and me?” he asked.</p><p>“I don’t think so,” Piper said.  “They’ve noticed that you and the doctor spend a lot of time together and we’ve talked about how the two of you seem close, but we’ve never talked about whether your relationship might be romantic.  If they <em> do </em> suspect, they’d keep it to themselves.  They realize it’s important to be discreet.”</p><p>“But they don’t <em> know, </em>right?” </p><p>“No,” Piper confirmed.  “And I won’t tell anyone about you without your permission.  But if you want, you can come to one of our community’s gatherings, or I can set up a smaller meeting with only a few people, or I can make some one-on-one introductions.”</p><p>Nico nodded.  “I think Will would like that.”</p><p>“You don’t have to meet them just because of him,” Piper said.  “If one of you wanted to meet in a group and the other wanted to meet a few people one-on-one, I don’t mind helping you separately.”</p><p>“I know, but I want to do this with Will, at least at first,” Nico said.  “Will’s never done this before.  He’s strong and brave, but doing something like this is scary—<em>especially </em> when it’s the first time.  He should have someone there to support him if he needs it.”</p><p>And maybe Nico wanted someone to be there to support <em> him</em>, too.</p><p>Nico lifted his head and noticed Piper watching him curiously.  “Are you thinking about staying in Ladon Creek?” she asked.</p><p>Nico averted his eyes so that Piper wouldn’t see his hesitation.  “No,” he said.</p><p>“You’re not?”</p><p>Nico was confused by the surprise in her voice.  “No,” he answered.  “Do I seem like the kind of person who’d settle down in a nice, quiet town?”</p><p>“Yes, actually,” Piper said.  “I’ve thought you’d stay for a while now.  After Jason told me about you and the doctor, I was almost <em> certain </em> you would.  I guess I assumed that you and the doctor were...serious.  You always get along so well and I thought you’d want to stay with him.”</p><p>Nico opened his mouth to explain himself, but no sound came out.  How could he explain that it didn’t matter how badly he wanted to stay with Will?  How could he explain that he couldn’t forge lasting connections or that he didn’t know <em> how </em> to have a home?</p><p>“It’s not that simple,” Nico said in a choked voice.</p><p>“Then you <em> do </em> want to stay with him?” Piper asked.</p><p>“Of course I do,” said Nico.  “But I can’t.  I have to move on eventually.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“Because I...because...I just can’t stay.”</p><p>Piper frowned.  “Have you at least thought about it?”</p><p>“Piper, <em> I can’t stay,” </em>Nico repeated, more harshly than he intended to.</p><p>Piper held up her hands in surrender.  “Fine, if you insist,” she said.  “But I still think it warrants thinking about.  Ladon Creek is a good place for people like us to live.  Maybe you should consider staying.”</p><p>Nico sighed.  “Maybe,” he said, but only to get her to stop talking.  He didn’t want to hear any more.  Leaving was already hard enough without people badgering him to stay.</p><p>”Is it alright if I tell Will to expect you when we get back?” </p><p>“You can tell him anything we talked about,” said Piper.  “Mention that I’ll stop by the clinic to talk to him the day after we get back.”</p><p>Nico nodded.  “After you talk to him, we’ll decide what to do together.”</p><p>“Good,” said Piper.  “We should go back to camp and get some rest.  We still have almost a full day’s ride ahead of us tomorrow.  If you have any questions for me, you can always signal that you want to talk alone and I’ll help you find an excuse to get away from the others.”</p><p>Nico glanced back at their camp again.  “Go ahead,” he said.  “I’ll go back soon.”</p><p>“Take your time, but make sure you get some sleep,” said Piper.</p><p>Nico nodded again and wished her a goodnight, then he stood in the grass alone, looking up at the starry sky.</p><p><em>Maybe you should consider staying,</em> she’d said.  As if it was that easy.  As if Nico could just <em>choose</em> to stay in Ladon Creek.  As if Nico could have a home and settle down with someone he loved.</p><p>Nico couldn’t do that—he hadn’t had a home since his mother died and he hadn’t lived with someone he loved since his sister left to join the Hunters.  He wouldn’t know how to act or what to do if he stayed.</p><p>But it would make Will so happy.  It would be so good for Will to be with someone he loved.  And yes, Will would be fine without him, but he’d be much happier if Nico were there.</p><p>The same went for Nico, as well; he could survive without Will, but he wanted to be with him anyway.  He felt so, so much better with Will than he did alone.</p>
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<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Helloooo I finally finished!</p><p>I wanted to thank everyone who voted for this in the solangelo fic awards.  It came in first place in the au category!  Your support means a lot to me and other fic writers, so if you haven’t already, you should check out the <a href="https://solange-lol.tumblr.com/post/643118525157900288/image-description-two-digital-bust-drawings-of">winners</a> and <a href="https://solange-lol.tumblr.com/post/641955952462118912/image-description-two-digital-bust-drawings-of">nominees!</a></p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They arrived in Pinedale in the afternoon and stopped at an inn on the edge of town.  Nico didn’t want to bother the others by complaining about the distance from the inn to the center of town, but his leg, which had been sore the previous day, was hurting even more.  When he asked why they decided to stay so far from the assay office, the others’ expressions tightened and they told him that all the other inns in Pinedale were whites-only. </p><p>“Of course they are,” Nico muttered.  He didn’t mention his leg.  It hurt, but not so badly that he couldn’t ignore it.</p><p>They tied their horses outside the inn and went in to book their rooms and eat a meal, which gave Nico’s leg a chance to rest.  Gripping a saddle for two days was always hard on the legs, but Nico’s wounded thigh hurt more than it normally would.  He’d looked at the wound earlier, and although he hadn’t noticed anything externally concerning, he worried that it wasn’t healing properly.  He’d have to ask Will to look at it when he got back to Ladon Creek.</p><p>Will.  Ladon Creek. </p><p>Nico had lied when he told Piper he’d think about staying.  He hadn’t intended to consider it at all—and yet, he hadn’t been able to get it out of his head.  He couldn’t stop thinking about her surprise when he said he wasn’t staying, as though Nico remaining in Ladon Creek was the natural course of action.  Was that really what it looked like from an outside perspective?  And did Piper think it would be <em> alright </em>if Nico stayed?</p><p>The trip was supposed to prepare him to leave and make it easier on himself when the time came, but it had done the opposite.  Nico couldn’t help imagining how staying would feel.  What would it be like to have a house to sleep in each night?  How wonderful would it be to have Naomi and Mrs. Jackson check in on him to make sure he was eating well, or to watch baby Estelle grow up over the years?  How would it feel to have friends he went out with every week?  Would it be nice to have the repetition of a regular job and the safety of a steady life?</p><p>And what would it be like to see Will every day?  To wake up next to him in the morning?  To hear Will say “I love you” for the rest of his life?</p><p>And how would it feel if he <em> didn’t </em> stay?  What if he never saw Will or Naomi or the Jacksons or anyone in Ladon Creek again?</p><p>It would be painful—more painful than Nico was willing to imagine.  He’d survive, but it would hurt.  Nico had only been gone from Ladon Creek for a couple days, but he already missed the town.  He didn’t want to think about how much worse it would be when he left for good.</p><p><em> So stop thinking about it, </em>Nico told himself, but his mind didn’t obey.</p><p>When they finished their meal, they left to take their horses to the corral across town.  Nico lingered behind, slowed down by his sore leg.  The others didn’t seem to notice.  They continued walking ahead of him, talking and laughing amongst themselves without sparing a glance his way.</p><p>Nico sighed.  He was used to feeling lonely.  Nico was always the odd one out in a group.  When there weren’t enough seats at the table, Nico was always the one to sit somewhere else.  When people told jokes, it was always Nico who didn’t understand.  If someone was forgotten, it was always Nico who slipped their minds.  That was why Nico chose not to put much hope into making friends.  That was why he couldn’t stay in Ladon Creek.  It was better to be completely alone than alone in a crowd.</p><p>But then Hazel turned around and noticed Nico trailing behind, and she stopped to wait for him to catch up.  “What’s wrong, Mr. di Angelo?” she asked.</p><p>“Nothing,” Nico said.</p><p>Hazel frowned at him, unconvinced.  Nico tried to reassure her with a smile, but ahead of them, Annabeth, Percy, and Piper had noticed that Hazel was missing and stopped.</p><p>“What’s the matter?” Annabeth asked.</p><p>“Nothing,” Nico repeated, but the others kept looking at him like they were still waiting for an answer.  “Just...my leg has been bothering me,” he admitted.</p><p>“Why didn’t you say anything?” Hazel asked.</p><p>“You should have told us!” said Piper.</p><p>“How long has it been hurting?” asked Percy.</p><p>“It was sore yesterday, but it’s a bit worse today,” Nico admitted.  “It’s not so bad.  I didn’t want to worry you—”</p><p>“You need to take your weight off your leg and rest at the inn,” said Annabeth.</p><p>“I’ll take him back and stay with him,” Piper offered.  “Can you take care of our horses?”</p><p>“I’ll go, too,” said Hazel.  “Would you mind dropping off the ore without me?”</p><p>“Are you sure?” Annabeth asked.</p><p>“You won’t need me at the assay office today anyway,” Hazel answered.  “It’ll be a while before they can tell us anything about the samples.”</p><p>She handed Annabeth her horse’s reins and Piper and Nico handed Percy theirs.  “We’ll meet you back at the inn soon,” Annabeth said before she and Percy left to take the horses the rest of the way to the corral.</p><p>“Should we let you rest a bit before heading back?” Piper asked Nico.</p><p>Nico shook his head.  “It’s not far; I’d rather walk now so I can sit sooner.”  He looked at Hazel.  “I’m sorry for the hassle.  Are you sure you don’t want to go with them?”</p><p>“I’ll go to get the report, but they don’t need me there to drop off the ore for testing,” Hazel said.  “It’s not a problem.  Annabeth always signs the papers for me anyway.”</p><p>“Why?” Nico asked.</p><p>Hazel raised an eyebrow.</p><p>“Oh,” said Nico.</p><p>“And Hazel and I have been getting looks,” Piper added, discreetly nodding to a couple of men across the street who were watching them with an expression that Nico did not like.  Piper adjusted her rifle’s sling across her chest.  “As much as I’d love to shoot them, we should get somewhere safe before they cause a scene.”</p><p>Hazel nodded in agreement before turning to lead Nico and Piper back towards the inn.  “Pinedale is always like this,” she said.  “The first time I came here, I made the mistake of bringing the ore myself and they assumed I stole it.  Even Annabeth can’t get it assessed on her own—the assay office will try to cheat her by giving her a low estimate.  We have to have a white man with us.  And don’t misunderstand me—I appreciate everything Percy and Annabeth are doing, but it makes me so frustrated and angry that I can’t do it myself.”</p><p>“Why doesn’t Ladon Creek have its own assay office?” Nico asked.  “If someone you trusted assessed the gold....”</p><p>“That’s the thing, isn’t it?” said Hazel.  “No one I trust knows how to assess gold.”</p><p>“It’s easier than you’d think,” Nico said.  “They’d only need a couple months of training.”</p><p>Piper and Hazel exchanged a glance and Nico immediately realized what they were thinking.</p><p>“Do you know much about assaying, Nico?” Piper asked.</p><p>“A bit—it helps to know something when you’re breaking into an assay office,” he said, intending to remind them that he was an outlaw and a highwayman and that under no circumstances should they trust someone like him to handle their gold.</p><p>It didn’t work.</p><p>“You wouldn’t rob Ladon Creek,” Hazel said confidently, and she was right.  “Have given any thought to what I said a few months ago about a job?”</p><p>Nico sighed, but Hazel was not deterred by his unenthusiastic response.</p><p>“The first time I offered, I was thinking of a job in the mines, but you shouldn’t be down there if you’re still recovering from your injury,” she said.  “Maybe you could help me with record keeping instead.”</p><p>Nico shook his head as they reached the inn and he sat down on a bench outside the building to rest his throbbing leg.  “No, that’s not possible,” he said.  “I’m not very good at reading and even worse at writing.”</p><p>“Oh, right,” said Hazel.  “English is your second language, isn’t it?”</p><p>“Third, actually,” Nico corrected, but he was surprised that she knew enough about him to remember it wasn’t his first.  “Venetian is my native language and Italian is my second.”</p><p>“Didn’t you attend school in New York?” Piper asked.  “I thought all American schools forced students to use English.  I was taught to read and write in English at school and my grandpa taught me Tsalagi Gawonihisdi at home, but we were always punished if we used it in front of the teachers.”</p><p>“I was, but I wasn’t a very good student,” Nico admitted.  “Letters always get jumbled for me and the teachers used to scold me and hit my hands because I write with the wrong one.  So I can <em> speak </em> three languages, but I can’t read or write in any of them.  I won’t be of much use to you in record keeping.”</p><p>“Percy and Annabeth struggle with reading and writing, too—they can do it, but it’s difficult for them,” Hazel said.  “But that’s alright.  There are jobs that don’t require it.”</p><p>“I’m not sure—”</p><p>“You could still help me start an assay office,” Hazel said.  “That wouldn’t be hard on your leg and you wouldn’t have to write much.  Any responsibilities with literacy can be delegated to someone else.”</p><p>“I don’t know enough about assaying to actually <em> do </em>it,” Nico said.</p><p>“You could learn,” Piper said.  “You said so yourself—it’s just a couple months of training.”</p><p>“And you already know more than most people in town,” Hazel added.  “Assaying is something that can be taught.  I’m more worried about finding someone I can trust.”</p><p>Trust?  <em> Nico? </em></p><p>“Oh,” Nico croaked.</p><p>“What do you think?” Hazel asked.  “Would you consider staying?”</p><p>“I…” Nico started.  He glanced at Hazel’s face, but her warm brown eyes were too earnest and hopeful for Nico to hold her gaze very long.  It was the first time that someone besides Will had asked him to stay in Ladon Creek permanently.  Others had inquired about whether he planned to move in and Piper had encouraged him to consider it, but this was different.  This was Hazel saying, “I want you to stay.”</p><p>But that didn’t matter.  Nico couldn’t stay.  Could he?</p><p>“I don’t know,” Nico answered.</p>
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<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>ahem. Sorry this took so long.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The party that had travelled to Pinedale returned while Will was running errands.  He spotted them on his way back home carrying some items from the dry goods store in the bag slung over his shoulder, but he only counted four.  Hazel, Piper, Percy, and Annabeth were there, but Nico and his horse were missing.</p><p>A reflexive jolt of panic ran through Will’s chest.  Had something happened to Nico?  Had Nico decided not to return to Ladon Creek after all?  Had he left Will without even bothering to say goodbye?</p><p><em> Stop that.  He’s going to come back to you, </em>said one part of Wills mind. </p><p>Will took a deep breath and reminded himself that Nico had promised he’d stay through winter.  Nico wouldn’t leave before then, especially not without telling him.</p><p>Will plastered a smile on his face and approached the returning group.  “Welcome back,” he said.  “How was your trip?”</p><p>“The ore wasn’t as good as I’d hoped, but the trip went smoothly,” said Hazel. </p><p>“Good, I’m glad,” said Will.  “And where’s Mr. di Angelo?”</p><p>“He went ahead to see you,” Piper answered.</p><p>Will’s heart stopped, then started racing, and he hoped that he wasn’t blushing.  “Oh?”</p><p>“His leg has been bothering him the whole trip,” Percy said.  “He should be at your clinic by now.”</p><p>Will adjusted the strap of his bag and looked down the road.  In the distance, he saw a black horse and a figure in dark clothes outside his clinic.  His chest tightened.  “I picked a bad time to run my errands.  I should get back.”</p><p>“We’re heading in the same direction,” said Percy, tapping his horse and starting back down the road.  While they walked, Will filled them in on what had happened in Ladon Creek during their absence. Drew had bought the old dry goods store from the Stolls and was turning it into a tailor shop.  Travis had had another conversation with Katie Gardiner about getting married and she’d asked for some time to think it over.  “But you know how Travis is,” Will said as they approached the clinic.  “He’d happily wait until they’ve both gone grey if Katie asked him to.”</p><p>As Will finished speaking, Nico lifted his head and let Will see the brown eyes under the brim of his hat.  The dark stubble dusting his lower face reminded Will of what he’d looked like when he’d first arrived in Ladon Creek—wild and dangerous and handsome.  But back then, he’d also been unwell.  He’d been pale, with a constant sheen of sweat on his brow, bedridden with a fever from his infected leg.  Now Nico looked strong and healthy, heavier with the good meals the Jacksons fed him every day, and he was once again growing into the unkempt appearance of a mysterious wanderer, but this time, he had a face and heart that Will knew well.  The familiar glint of happy recognition in his eye, the upturned corner of his lips—those were for Will.</p><p>“I’m sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. di Angelo,” Will said.</p><p>Nico’s smile didn’t waver.  “Not a problem, Doctor.”</p><p>Percy dismounted his horse and landed on the road next to Will.  “I’ll bring Maria to the corral and take care of her while you’re here,” he told Nico.</p><p>“Thank you,” Nico answered.</p><p>“It was good to see you, Doctor,” Piper said from atop her horse, and Will echoed the sentiment and waved goodbye before he turned to the clinic to unlock the door.</p><p>“Are you the only patient that’s come by, Mr. di Angelo?” he asked as he pulled out his keys.</p><p>“Yes, Doctor,” Nico answered.  “Is your mother home?”</p><p>“She’s already left for work,” Will said as he opened the door.  He waved for Nico to enter first and looked up and down the street to make sure no one seemed to be approaching the clinic before following. </p><p>Will shut the door and clicked the lock back into place.  When he turned around and met Nico’s eyes, he recognized the glint of anticipation in them—the excitement in his subtle smile, the expectant way his posture changed—and when Will put his hand on Nico’s shoulder and pushed him against the wall beside the door, Nico fell back easily and tilted his head to accept Will’s kiss. </p><p>Nico’s arms went around Will’s neck.  He stumbled when Will pushed harder against his lips, but Will’s hand on his waist held him up.  Would he ever get used to the fact that he could make a man like Nico go weak at the knees?  Nico—strong, mysterious Nico—</p><p>“Will.  Will—hold on a moment.”</p><p>Will stilled.</p><p>“My leg,” Nico said.  “It’s been giving me trouble this past week and....”</p><p>Will looked down and saw Nico’s leg bent at an awkward angle as Will was holding him against the wall.  “Oh!” said Will, pulling away so that Nico could stand properly.  “I’m so sorry—I misread...I thought you wanted me to—”</p><p>“You didn’t misread,” Nico interrupted, pushing himself off the wall.  “I just—my leg.”</p><p>“Right, of course.  Have a seat and take your weight off it.  Can you get on the exam table or would you prefer a normal chair?”</p><p>“The table is fine,” Nico said, so Will crossed the room and lifted the back of the table for Nico to lay on.</p><p>“The others said your leg was bothering you, but I thought...well.  I thought it was an excuse to come see me.”</p><p>“I <em> did </em> want to see you,” Nico said, grunting as he lifted himself onto the exam table.  “I just also needed a doctor.  And fortunately, I can have both at the same time.”</p><p>Will looked away politely while Nico undressed and covered himself.  “Still, if we’re going to keep using your injury as an excuse to be alone without attracting attention, we ought to at least make a habit of establishing whether your visits are personal.  I’ll ask next time.  How bad is the pain?”</p><p>“It’s not terrible, but it’s constant.  You can turn around.”</p><p>Will pulled a stool to sit beside the exam table and inspected the wound on Nico’s thigh.  It was pink with scar tissue but normal, with no outward signs of anything wrong.  He tried touching it and pressing against it and asking Nico what hurt, but nothing seemed abnormal.  Will folded his arms thoughtfully.  The wound appeared to be healing as it should, but it still caused Nico pain.  What else could he do?</p><p>Nico coughed and Will glanced at him, noticing that his face had gone red.</p><p>“You’re blushing,” Will observed, and Nico’s face only reddened more.</p><p>“What have you done to me?” Nico asked, shaking his head in resignation.  “I used to be so collected.  I used to be the one to make people blush.”</p><p>“You still are,” said Will, reaching out to touch Nico’s rough cheek.  “You need a shave,” he commented.</p><p>Nico rubbed his chin.  “Do you prefer me being clean shaven?”</p><p>“Oh, no—I find the wild fugitive look very attractive,” Will replied.  “I also like you clean shaven like a handsome gentleman.  I prefer whichever you like best.”  Will leaned closer and pecked Nico’s cheek before pulling back and picking up the stool to move it away.  “You can get dressed again.  I don’t see any visible complications with your wound.  Has your pain been sharp or dull?”</p><p>“Dull,” Nico answered as he pulled his trousers back up.  “Sore, like an overworked muscle.”</p><p>Will nodded.  “The bullet caused a lot of damage, so even though it’s healed, the scar tissue left behind is limited.  It might always bother you.”</p><p>“Always?” Nico asked, but he didn’t sound surprised, as though he hadn’t hoped for better news. </p><p>“You had a very serious injury,” Will explained gently.  “Exercising your leg regularly will help, but there’s a chance it’ll never be quite the way it was before.  You might still need to use a walking aid from time to time—I can’t tell for sure yet.  Was it hurting the whole time you were gone?”</p><p>“It started to feel better when I rested in Pinedale, but yes,” Nico answered.  “The others helped me.”</p><p>Will returned to Nico’s side and squeezed his hand.  “I’m glad you weren’t alone.”</p><p>Nico’s thumb stroked Will’s knuckles.  “It’s a good thing you convinced me to stay through winter.  Maybe it would be a good idea to stay here even longer.”</p><p>Will averted his eyes.  He should have been happy to hear Nico say that, but he wasn’t.  He didn’t want Nico to stay in Ladon Creek because he was dependent on Will as a doctor.  He wanted Nico to stay because he wanted Will as a partner, because he loved Ladon Creek and the people in it, and because he felt at home there.  He wanted Nico to <em> choose </em> to stay, not to be forced by an injury. </p><p>“I don’t want you to stay because you’re hurt.  I want you to want to stay.”</p><p>Nico’s smile fell away.  “Will, I—”</p><p>“I’ll get your crutch again,” Will interrupted, and he ducked into the back room to retrieve the crutch he’d given Nico before from storage.  He didn’t want to hear whatever Nico had to say.  He already knew Nico thought leaving would ultimately be for the best.  He didn’t need Nico to keep reminding him.</p><p>Will took a deep breath before going back with the crutch in hand.  “Here,” Will said, holding out the crutch and avoiding direct eye contact.  “You might not need it all the time, but you should use it to help you walk whenever—”</p><p>“Will,” Nico interrupted, taking the crutch and setting it aside.  “Right now I want to talk to my partner, not my doctor.  I’m not staying longer because of my leg.”</p><p>“I know—”</p><p>“I’ve decided to stay longer to be here for Percy and Annabeth’s wedding.”</p><p>Will raised his eyes from the floor to look at Nico in surprise.  “So you’ll still be here in the spring?”</p><p>“They invited me and I couldn’t say no,” said Nico.  “And I didn’t want to say goodbye to you or the Jacksons or your mother...or anyone else in Ladon Creek, for that matter.  So an excuse to stay a little bit longer—”</p><p>Will kissed Nico’s lips before he could say anything else.  “I don’t want to say goodbye to you, either,” he said.  “And I know you’re not sure about coming back after you leave town, but I still...I want you to think about it.”</p><p>Nico touched Will’s sleeve.  “I can’t promise you anything right now,” he said.  “I don’t know if coming back is a good idea.  But I <em> am </em> thinking about it.  Part of the reason I’ve been hesitant to come back is because I was worried that we’d be found out if we kept going, but the truth is, Ladon Creek might be the best place in the world for people like us.  If things go wrong, I think we’d at least have enough protection to get out safely.”</p><p>“Because of the community Jason mentioned?” Will asked.</p><p>Nico nodded.  “I’ve met with communities like this before, but this one is...different.  Usually, people like us aren’t in positions of power.  We’re travelers or people who are removed from society somehow, like herders or outlaws.  Sometimes there are local people like you who know what signs to look for when we pass through town.  But in Ladon Creek, it’s different.  Jason’s contact already approached me.  It’s the <em> judge.” </em></p><p>“Piper McLean?” Will asked.  “She’s like us?”</p><p>Nico nodded.  “She said she’d talk to you when we got back—probably tomorrow.”</p><p>“Then we don’t have to worry about the priest or the judge finding out about us,” Will said.  “Those are the two people we ought to be most frightened of—save maybe the mayor and the sheriff.”</p><p>“I don’t know about the sheriff, but I’m fairly certain the mayor can be trusted,” Nico said.  “Piper said all her friends know about her.”</p><p><em> “All </em> her friends?” Will asked.  “You mean, all the people we’ve been playing billiards with the past few weeks—”</p><p>“I think so, yes,” Nico said.  “Definitely everyone who went to Pinedale with us.”</p><p>“Then...we’re safe.  We really are safe.”</p><p>“As safe as we can be, at least,” Nico said.  “So I still can’t make any promises, but that’s why I’ve started to think that maybe coming back wouldn’t be so dangerous.  Jason gave me his word that he’d protect us if something went wrong, and the judge and the mayor won’t hurt us, either.  I’ve been so afraid of you getting hurt, but...maybe the risk isn’t as bad as I thought it was.”</p><p>“No,” Will agreed.  “Maybe it’s not.”</p><p><em> So you should come back, </em> he wanted to add.  <em> And maybe you should stay. </em></p><p>Not just because Will wanted him to; Ladon Creek could be perfect for Nico.  Nico could have a home.  He could have Will and Naomi.  He could have the Jacksons and all the friends he’d made.</p><p>Will was fairly sure Nico wanted to stay, too.</p><p>But for some reason, Nico wasn’t ready for that yet.  The danger of being discovered wasn’t the only thing holding him back—he was afraid because he still didn’t feel like he belonged.  He needed to realize that he was wanted before he’d ever be ready to commit to Ladon Creek.</p><p>Will couldn’t push Nico any more.  Nico should have the freedom to make the decision on his own.  All Will could do was try to make Nico feel welcome and loved and safe so that, if he wanted to, he would be able to make the choice to stay when the time came.</p><p>So Will didn’t share any of his desperate longing thoughts and he didn’t ask Nico to stay, but all of the hope and love inside of him swelled so much that he cupped Nico’s jaw and kissed him.  “Would you like to come upstairs?” he asked.</p><p>Nico glanced at the front door.  “Don’t you have to open the clinic?”</p><p>Will shook his head.  “I closed for the day when I went out on my errands.  If there’s an emergency, they’ll knock.  So if you want to come up for a while—”</p><p>“Could we stay down here instead?” Nico asked.  “Just—my leg.  I’d rather not climb stairs.”</p><p>“Oh,” said Will.  “Right, of course.  Whatever you need.”</p><p>The corner of Nico’s mouth lifted in a smirk.  “Whatever I need?” he asked, then he gripped the front of Will’s coat in his fist.  “Another kiss would be nice.”</p><p>Will glanced over his shoulder to make sure the door was locked, and, seeing that it was, he pulled the screen next to the exam table open to shield them from the rest of the room and obliged Nico’s request.</p><p> </p><p>Later, Will pulled away and straightened the wrinkles in his shirt.  He looked over at Nico, still laying on the exam table and smiling at Will with gentle awe, and he hoped that he looked at Nico the same way.</p><p>“What is it?” Will asked.</p><p>“Nothing,” said Nico.  “I just missed you.”</p><p>Will smiled and leaned down to kiss Nico again.  “I missed you, too,” he said.  “You know, if you wanted to, you could spend the night here.”</p><p>Nico’s fingers traced down the seam of Will’s sleeve.  “I’d like to, but I should get back to the Jacksons.  I don’t want them to worry.”</p><p>“Percy will tell them you were hurt.  They won’t think anything of it if you stay here, so if you wanted to....”</p><p>“I do want to,” said Nico.  “But right now I also want to see the Jacksons.   Another time?”</p><p>Will brushed his fingers through the hair on the back of Nico’s head.  “Another time,” he agreed.  Of course Nico wanted to see the Jacksons again.  He adored them.</p><p>Nico turned his head and kissed Will’s wrist.  “Tell your mother I’m sorry I missed her.  I’ll stop by tomorrow.”</p><p>“You should come over around midday and eat with us if you feel up to it,” said Will.  “She’d love to have you.”</p><p>“I’ll come early to help with the cooking,” Nico said, sitting up.  “Where’s the crutch you gave me?”</p><p>“Oh, it’s here.”  Will picked up the crutch where it was leaning nearby and offered it to Nico.  “Would you like me to walk you back to the inn?”</p><p>Nico accepted the crutch and slid off the exam table and tested his weight against it.  “No, I....”  Then he stopped.  “Actually, yes.  I would like that.”</p><p>Will reached out to unlock the front door, but stopped short and turned to Nico.  “About Piper,” he said.  “If she’s like us, then do you think she knows about people like me, too?”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Nico admitted.  “If you want, I can try to get an idea of whether she’s safe.”</p><p>Will chewed his lip, considering.  “No,” he decided.  “If I feel comfortable enough, I’ll do it myself when she comes to talk.”</p><p>“Alright,” said Nico.  “But if you change your mind and want help....”</p><p>“I’ll let you know,” Will promised.  “One last kiss before we go?”</p><p>Nico pulled Will down to kiss him in lieu of an answer.  The heat of Nico’s hands lingered on Will’s cheeks as he walked Nico back to the inn.  When Paul invited Will to stay for supper, he accepted and he sat next to Nico with their ankles secretly touching under the table the whole meal.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hello everyone, it’s may 4th, aka Will’s favorite day of the year, so I couldn’t NOT post an update for him.</p><p>thank you for all your kind comments! the next chapter is almost done.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As Nico had predicted, Piper walked into the clinic before noon the next day.  Nico had arrived earlier, entering through the rear door while Will was in the back room putting together an ointment for a burn on Cecil Markowitz’s arm.  He’d opened his mouth to greet Will, but Will had put a finger against his lips to silence him and gestured to the front room to imply that patients were there waiting.  Nico had nodded and gave Will a silent kiss, then he waited until Will had gone back to Cecil so that Will’s voice would cover the sound of his crutch as he climbed the stairs to the apartment.</p><p>When Piper came in less than an hour later, Will was tending to Leo’s apprentice’s bruised hand.  Leo had brought Harley in after he’d accidentally struck himself with a hammer, so he was sitting by the door waiting when Piper walked through.  When Leo asked what brought her to the clinic, a sudden, impulsive jolt of fear hit Will.  He glanced at them over his shoulder.  Piper wouldn’t tell, would she?  He knew she was close to Leo, but surely she wouldn’t—</p><p>“Toothache,” Piper said, and Will sighed in quiet relief before turning back to finish bandaging Harley’s hand.  “What about you?”</p><p>“Harley got his thumb on the wrong part of the anvil,” Leo answered.</p><p>Harley blushed sheepishly.  “Sorry, Leo,” he mumbled.</p><p>“Not your fault, kid,” said Leo.  “I should’ve been watching you.”</p><p>Wills finished tying off Harley’s bandage.  “There you are—all better.  If you can get some ice, it’ll help with the swelling, but otherwise just rest your hand until it feels better.”</p><p>“Thank you, Doctor,” Harley said, sliding off the exam table.  Leo echoed his thanks and put his hand on Harley’s shoulder, waving goodbye to Piper on his way out.</p><p>When the door closed, Will picked up his scissors and the roll of bandages on the exam table.  “Nico told me you might stop by today,” he said to Piper as he put them away.  “Do you really have a toothache?”</p><p>“No,” said Piper.  “I came to talk, if you’re available now.”</p><p>Will glanced through the window on the clinic’s front door.  No one was approaching, so he hung up the closed sign and locked the door.  “Let’s go to the back room,” he suggested.  “We won’t be over heard by anyone on the street back there.”</p><p>“Good idea,” she said, following behind him.  Will didn’t have chairs in the pharmacy, but Piper lifted herself to sit on the table in the center of the room.  “So,” she said.  “I presume you know why I’m here?”</p><p>“You’re Jason’s contact,” said Will, standing across from her.</p><p>“I am,” she said.  “Jason said you wanted to talk to me about our community in Ladon Creek.  We’d love to have you.”</p><p>Will cleared his throat.  “But you haven’t told any of them yet, have you?”</p><p>“No, I would never,” Piper replied in a smooth, calming voice that sounded warm and soft like a blanket.  “We’ll start small—right now, I’m the only one who knows.  Why don’t I begin by telling you a bit about myself?”  Piper brushed out her skirts.  “Jason and I used to be in a relationship.  We were together for about a year and we were seriously considering marriage.”</p><p>“That was you?” Will blurted out.  “The reverend mentioned that he used to court a woman who—um, well....”  He gestured vaguely.  “A woman who’s like us.”</p><p>“That was me,” Piper confirmed.  “And I love Jason—he’s a good man and a wonderful friend.  But I don’t love him the way I love women.  He was very understanding when I spoke to him about it.  He even helped me build Ladon Creek’s community.”</p><p>“And are you with anyone right now?” Will asked.</p><p>“I am,” said Piper.  “And I’m very happy.  What about you?  When did you find out about yourself?”</p><p>Will frowned thoughtfully.  When had he known?  Had he always known?</p><p>The first time he could remember actually thinking about his romantic preferences was ten years ago, when he’d told his father that he was a man.  His father had listened and nodded, asking a few questions for clarification, and then he’d asked, “And romantically speaking, do you like men, women, or both?”</p><p>That question had caught Will off guard, but after thinking for a moment, he’d answered that he probably liked both.  His father had nodded seriously, then he’d advised Will to be cautious when approaching other men.  He taught him the code words to use and subtle cues to look for.  He told him about gentlemen’s clubs where he could meet people and how to spot the occasional undercover officer.</p><p>“Stay safe, son,” his father had said.</p><p>That was the first time either of his parents had called him their son.</p><p>“I’m not sure,” Will admitted out loud.  “It was a gradual realization.”</p><p>Piper nodded.  “It’s that way for a lot of people.  You know, I actually wondered about you.”</p><p>Will’s shoulders tensed.  “What do you mean?”</p><p>“Don’t worry, it’s nothing obvious,” Piper assured.  “I just noticed you never seemed interested in the women who expressed interest in you and I wondered if you preferred men or if you didn’t want a romantic partner.  I didn’t know how to approach you, though—or if you’d want to be approached.”</p><p>“Oh,” said Will.  He paused.  “Well, you were wrong.”</p><p>“About which part?”</p><p>“I don’t prefer men,” said Will.  “I just wasn’t looking for a partner when I first came to town last year—or friends, for that matter.  But I am now.”</p><p>“Well, there are many people in town who would like to get to know you and this community is a safe place to be yourself.  Would you like to meet some of the others?”</p><p>Will swallowed, then nodded.  “Yes,” he said, his heart hammering in his chest.</p><p>“Good, I think you’ll be happy you did,” said Piper.  “But we need to talk about the rules first.  We honor the privacy of others in our group, so you cannot tell anyone about us.  It’s alright to tell someone that the club exists and that you’re a member, but you cannot tell them who else is in it.  It doesn’t matter how much you trust a person—everyone has complete control over who knows about them.  Do you understand?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“And the second rule is that we <em>always</em> respect each other.  There may be people in our group who you don’t understand, but you don’t need to understand them to respect them.”</p><p>Will wet his lips.  “People I might not understand?” he asked.</p><p>“We have many different types of people in our community,” Piper said.  “And you must promise to respect them.”</p><p>Will shifted his weight.  Different types of people?</p><p>Different like Will?</p><p>“Yes, I promise,” said Will.  “What sort of different people do you mean?”</p><p>“Well, for example, you don’t have a preference between men and women, but I only like women,” Piper explained.</p><p>“Jason mentioned that some people are only attracted to one gender, others to both, and some to neither,” Will said.  “But are there other sorts of people, too?”</p><p>“You can ask the others about themselves when you meet them,” Piper said.  “Did you have a specific question in mind?”</p><p>“No,” Will said quickly.</p><p>Too quickly.  Piper lowered her voice and said, “Will, you can trust me.  If there’s something you want to ask about, you can.”</p><p>Will swallowed.  He cleared his throat.  “Well,” he began.  “I’ve...read about people who have...unusual circumstances regarding their gender.  People who were identified as one sex at birth but lived their life out as another, or people who have more than one gender.  Even people who have a different gender entirely or people whose bodies don’t fit completely in the categories of male or female.”</p><p>“I see,” said Piper, and for a moment, she sat thoughtfully before speaking again.  “You know,” she started, “indigenous people often understand gender in ways that you don’t.”</p><p>“How?” Will asked.</p><p>“Well, I’m Cherokee, and our genders often behave differently than yours.  Our lineage is traced through the mother, while you inherit your names through the father.  Our women own and inherit property, but for you, it is the man who owns property.  Being a woman and being a man means something different to us than it does to you.  And there are many indigenous people who recognize genders aside from male and female.”</p><p>“Nico mentioned a person in Grand Ronde who is understood to be female but was thought to be male at birth,” Will said. </p><p>“Yes—that’s Ci’xmin,” said Piper.  “They’re a Kalapuya spiritual person.  We sometimes trade with the Kalapuya, so I’ve met them.”</p><p>Will swallowed, his hands growing sweaty at his sides.  “But people who are different like that don’t <em>have</em> to be indigenous, right?  It’s possible for someone like me—the people I’ve read about have looked like me.”</p><p>Piper sighed, her lips pursed like his question annoyed her, and Will worried that he’d pushed too far, but then she said, “It’s not <em>exactly</em> the same, but I’m sure there are people like you who are similar.  What I’m trying to tell you is that some of the things you call ‘different’ are actually normal.  The way you and people like you understand gender isn’t the same way the rest of the world understands gender.”</p><p>Will wet his lips.  “Are there people in Ladon Creek who are different like that?  Or different in some other way?”</p><p>Piper frowned at Will and looked at him like she was searching for something.  For a second, Will’s heart went still.  Had he given too much away?</p><p>“Will,” she said slowly.  “These people are people.  They aren’t exhibits or anomalies that you’ve read about in your medical texts.”</p><p>Oh—so she’d gone the opposite way.</p><p>“Of course,” said Will.  “I was just curious.  I didn’t mean any offense.”</p><p>He could have explained.  He could have told her, “I’m different, too.”  But something held him back.  His throat closed up and kept him silent like his body was telling him, not yet.  Not yet.</p><p>“Would you like to stay for dinner?” Will asked.  “Nico is upstairs, so we can talk about setting up a meeting.  My mother is here, too, but she’s safe.  She knows about Nico and I.”</p><p>“Does she really?”</p><p>“Yes—she’s always known about me.  Actually, my father’s like us, too.  If you’re not comfortable with her knowing about you, I understand, but we’d love to have you.”</p><p>Piper smiled.  “That would be nice,” she said.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ci’xmin was a real person!  John B. Hudson (the last person to speak the Kalapuya language before it went extinct upon his death in the 1950s) talked about Ci’xmin in Kalapuya Texts.  You can read the excerpt starting at the last English paragraph on the page <a href="https://digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu/digital/collection/lctext/id/9447/">here</a> if you’re interested, BUT I want to issue a disclaimer that this is a very old translation of an interview that was originally in Kalapuyan and it uses some offensive/outdated words.  Ci’xmin is referred to with he/him pronouns, but the Kalapuya language didn’t have gendered pronouns so I’m not sure if this is a translation error or what English pronouns Ci’xmin would have wanted.  Nico mentioned Ci’xmin in chapter 13 and used she/her, but I had Piper use they/them.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>wow, look at me updating again already!</p><p>idk if I’ve mentioned this before but in the 19th century west the midday meal was called dinner and the evening meal was called supper<br/><s>I might have forgotten about that a few times while writing this fic tho oops</s></p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Nico went to the Solaces’ house to help Naomi with dinner, she at first refused his help, instead worrying over him like he was her own son.  A part of Nico reveled in it because he loved when Naomi and Sally Jackson doted on him like they were his mother, but another part of him was annoyed by it—as annoyed as he could be by Naomi Solace, anyway, which wasn’t very much.  “Will mentioned you were hurting yesterday,” she said.  “Shouldn’t you be laying down?  Or sitting down, at least.  Were the stairs too hard for you?”</p><p>“Naomi, I’m fine,” he said.  “I just need to use the crutch to help me move around and sometimes I have to take a break.  If I need something, I’ll tell you.”</p><p>“Alright, dear, I’m sorry for worrying,” she said, then she hugged him.  “Will and I missed you while you were away.  I’m so glad you’re back.  Why don’t you tend to the stew and tell me about your trip?”</p><p>Just before dinner was ready, Will came upstairs with Piper and asked if they could set up an extra spot at the table for her.  When Piper introduced herself to Naomi as Jason’s contact, Naomi kissed her cheeks and thanked her for taking care of her boys—<em>boys, </em>she’d said, meaning Nico, too.</p><p>Over their meal, Piper talked to them about setting up a meeting—would Nico and Will like to do it together?  Perhaps they should start with a small group, seven people at most.  Would they prefer to meet with people their own age or people of a variety of ages?</p><p>Naomi looked up with interest at that question.  “There are older people in your group?” she asked.  “I assumed they were all your age.”</p><p>“Of course not,” Piper answered.  “There are people of all ages.  We have some very young and others very old.  This isn’t just a group of people looking for partners, Mrs. Solace.  It’s a group of friends who like knowing that they aren’t alone.”</p><p>As they spoke, Nico watched Will carefully, trying to figure out how his conversation with Piper had gone.  He couldn’t tell from Will’s behavior whether he’d talked to Piper about his gender and he didn’t have a chance to privately ask Will how everything had gone before they finished dinner.</p><p>After Piper left and Will had gone back downstairs to reopen the clinic, Nico helped Naomi clean up.   </p><p>“I’d never considered that people my age might be in that community,” Naomi mused while scrubbing a plate.</p><p>“Of course there are,” Nico said.  “Will’s father is one of us, isn’t he?”</p><p>“That’s true,” said Naomi.  She paused in her scrubbing for a moment, looking out the kitchen window, then she said, “It would be nice to meet them.”</p><p>Nico inclined his head curiously.  “Why?  Are you like us, too, Naomi?”</p><p>Naomi laughed and shook her head.  “No, of course not,” she said, passing Nico a clean plate to dry and reaching for the next.  “I just think it would be good to have friends who are like my son.”</p><p>Nico nodded slowly, but he wasn’t sure if she was being honest.  “Well,” he said, choosing his words cautiously, “if you <em> were </em>like us, that would be alright.”</p><p>“I know,” said Naomi.  “I’m just...not.  I’d know by now if I were.”</p><p>“Not necessarily,” Nico said. <em>  “I’ve </em> known since I was very young, but not everyone does.  People can always learn more about themselves.”</p><p>Naomi paused again like she was thinking too hard to wash at the same time.  She frowned to herself, then she smiled, shook her head, and went back to scrubbing.  “No.  That’s not possible.”</p><p>“Alright,” said Nico.  “That’s fine, too.”  Or maybe she just wasn’t ready to question herself yet.  Either way, Nico didn’t push further.</p><p>“It’ll be good for Will to have this community when I leave,” Nico said as Naomi passed him the last dish.  “He’s never been around people like him before, has he?  I don’t want him to lose that when I’m gone.”</p><p>Naomi frowned and opened the cupboard to put the dishes away.  “Nico, do you remember when I said I’d take care of Will after you left?”</p><p>Nico turned, leaning against the counter and watching her replace the dishes.  “I remember.”</p><p>“Well, I’ve been thinking about that more,” she said.  “I’ll always take care of him, but I think that you should stay.”</p><p>Nico opened and closed his mouth, unsure what to say.  Naomi had never disputed Nico’s need to leave before.  He’d thought Naomi was on his side.  “Well, I...I’ve been considering coming back to visit every so often,” Nico admitted.</p><p>“Good, that’s good,” said Naomi, closing the cupboard door and turning around to face Nico.  “But I think you should stay permanently.”</p><p>“Naomi, I—”</p><p>“And I don’t just mean for Will,” Naomi continued.  “It would make him so happy if you stayed, but I also think it would be good for you.  I think you belong here.”</p><p>Nico swallowed.  “I can’t.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>Nico tried to answer, but his throat felt dry and his words escaped him.  Why was it that he had to leave, again?  Why <em> couldn’t </em> he stay?</p><p>
  <em> People don’t want me here. </em>
</p><p>But that wasn’t true.  Nico had friends in Ladon Creek.  People had even asked him to stay—Will, Piper, Hazel, and now Naomi.  And soon, Nico would know a whole community of people like him.</p><p>
  <em> I don’t belong here. </em>
</p><p>Ladon Creek was such a quiet, peaceful town.  Someone like Nico, who had lived on the road for so many years, didn’t belong in a place like that.</p><p>But Nico hadn’t tried to settle down in such a long time.  Maybe this time he could do it.  Maybe in Ladon Creek, it would be possible.  He had someone he cared about—<em>several </em>people he cared about.  And there were people in Ladon Creek who cared about him, too.</p><p>
  <em> Will deserves better. </em>
</p><p>No, Will deserved to be with someone he loved.  And he loved <em> Nico. </em></p><p>The problem was that Nico didn’t deserve Will.</p><p>Nico’s brow furrowed.  Was <em> that </em> what it was all about?  Was <em> that </em> why he couldn’t stay?  Because he was punishing himself?  Was he secluding himself as a form of penance?</p><p>And for what, exactly?  Why did he need to be punished?</p><p>
  <em> For destroying my sister’s life.  For corrupting Gianni.  For not being good enough.  For existing. </em>
</p><p>But none of that was true.  Nico didn’t believe any of those things—not <em> really.  </em>Not anymore.</p><p>“I don’t know,” Nico whispered.</p><p>“Think about it,” Naomi said.  “It would make Will so happy if you stayed.  It would make <em> you </em> so happy.”</p><p>Nico swallowed.  “I’ve wondered if it would be better for Will if I left sooner,” he said.  “Maybe I shouldn’t keep dragging this out.  I could make it easier on Will by leaving before....”</p><p>“Before what?” Naomi asked.</p><p>Before they fell in love, Nico thought, but he knew it was far too late for that.</p><p>“Will wouldn’t agree with you.  If he wanted you to leave, he wouldn’t have asked you to stay longer.”  Naomi glanced at the kitchen clock.  “I have to get ready for work,” she said.  “Are you going to stay here and wait for Will to close the clinic?”</p><p>“If you don’t mind,” Nico answered.</p><p>“Not at all, dear—sit down and make yourself at home.”</p><p>Nico obeyed as Naomi disappeared into her room to change her clothes.  When she came out a little while later, she kissed Nico’s forehead before leaving.</p><p>Nico leaned his head on the back of the couch, staring at the ceiling.  With Naomi gone, the house was quiet except for the ticking of the clock in the kitchen and the faint sound of Will’s voice downstairs as he talked to a patient.</p><p><em>Will’s voice.  </em>Nico closed his eyes and listened.  He couldn’t understand the words, but he recognized Will’s smooth timbre.  The muffled dulcet tones resonated inside him with a sense of calm even as they excited him—because that was Will’s voice.  <em> Will’s</em>.</p><p>How pathetic was he that he became lovesick from just the sound of Will’s <em>voice?</em></p><p>Nico heard the door downstairs ring as it opened and shut.  The voices stopped.  A few moments later, he heard Will climbing the stairs, and then Will was smiling in the open doorway.  He looked so happy to see Nico there that Nico could imagine Will loved coming home to him as much as he loved being there for Will to come home to.</p><p>Nico stretched out his hand, reaching for him.  “Come here,” he said, and Will did.  He put one knee on the couch next to Nico and leaned down to kiss him once before sitting beside him and putting his arm around Nico’s shoulders.</p><p>“How was your talk with Piper?” Nico asked.</p><p>Will sighed.  “Fine,” he said, but there was a note of hesitation in his voice.</p><p>“Did you talk to her about...?”</p><p>“Yes,” said Will, with the same hesitant tone.</p><p>Nico rested his hand on top of the one Will had on his shoulder.  “Did it not go well?”</p><p>“No, she seems very supportive of people like me,” Will said.  “But...well, I didn’t want her to suspect, so I told her I’d read about people who were assigned one gender and lived their lives as another.  I wanted to sound like I was coming from an outside perspective, but I was <em> too </em> convincing and I came across a bit judgemental.  She lectured me.”</p><p>Nico tried not to laugh—he really did—but it bubbled up inside him until he couldn’t contain it.  Will frowned at him in bewilderment and Nico swallowed his laughter back down.  “I’m sorry,” he said.  “Did you correct her?”</p><p>“No,” Will said, then he mumbled, “I felt so guilty that I forgot why I’d brought it up in the first place.”</p><p>“Well, it won’t be hard to clear up the misunderstanding,” said Nico.  “You can always try again—assuming you want to tell her, of course.”</p><p>“Right,” said Will, nodding to himself.  “Yes, I think I’ll do that.”</p><p>He kissed Nico’s hair and it felt like a “thank you”—<em> thank you for supporting me, thank you for listening to me, thank you for being there for me, thank you for making me happy. </em></p><p>Nico rested his head on Will’s shoulder.  He <em> was </em> good to Will.  So why did he think that he didn’t deserve him?  Why <em> shouldn’t </em> he deserve Will?</p><p>And why shouldn’t he stay?</p><p>Nico closed his eyes and imagined waking up next to Will in the morning and kissing him before they got out of bed.  He imagined sending Will off to work every day or coming home to Will every evening.</p><p>He remembered the ease with which Will carried baby Estelle and wondered if Will would like a family one day.  He would make such a good father.  Could unmarried men adopt, or—?</p><p>—marriage.  They’d never be able to <em> legally </em> marry, but maybe they could pretend.  They could recite the vows together and call each other “husband” when they were alone.</p><p>And then they could grow old together.  Nico imagined sitting together just like they were right then, but decades into the future, when their hair lost its color and their faces became lined.</p><p>“You’re being awfully quiet,” said Will.  “What are you thinking about?”</p><p>Nico lifted his head and smiled at Will.  “How much I love you.”</p><p>He said it honestly and without thinking, not to flatter Will, and the admission was almost embarrassingly truthful.</p><p>Will kissed Nico.  “I love you, too.”</p><p>And in those words, Nico heard more than a declaration of love.  He heard: <em> It’s okay to love me.  You don’t have to be afraid.  I’m here, and I feel the same way. </em></p>
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